The morning call., 1894-06-10
A BUDDHIST LIFE OF CHRIST.

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The religious and literary world is
stirred up by the publication of a work
called THE Unknown Life of Christ
from Buddbistic Records" by Nicolas
NOtowiteh. No one seems to know who
Nicolas Notowtch is or even to have
heard of him. In the book he states that
he found in a monastery in Thibet
series of scrolls which. when pIeced to-
gether, constitute a life of 'Isss," or
"the Blessed One" or Christ. These
scrolls he has now had translated and
published.
The life of Christ" which they con-
tain corresponds in many particulars
with the biography embodied in the
gospels and in the narrative written by
NJ. Renan. Issa, or Christ. was born of
poor parents in the land of Israel. At
IS he journeyed to Indis, studied the
Vedas and the Sudras and made himself
familiar with the doctrines of Brahma
and Buddha. Among the members of
those faiths he acquired high reputation
for wisdom and piety. 1t will be remem-
bered that according TO the Biblical &C
count Christ went up 10 the Temple at
the age of u and visited it yearly there
years from II to so in study in his own
country Of Galilee. According to this
Buddhist account he returned from India
to Judea at the age OF % and began to
teach and to preach. Thus far the
paralleism is pretty close. But now the
two accounts begin to diverge. According
to the Scriptural account the Roman
authorities took no exception to Christ's
preaching, but it reused intense hostility
among the priests, scribes and PhRrisees,
who discerned in him a destroyer Of the
Mosaic faith. According TO the Buddhist
narrative it was the Romans who objected
to Christ because they suspected him Of
revolutionary designs, and the Jews were
his friends PLATE had him arrested and
tried before the High Priest and the
elders. Each time they acquitted him.
From this point the two stories pursue
parallel lines, but the parts are transposed.
The Buddhist book describes PLATE as
being SO alarmed ct the growth of Christs
popularity among the Jews that he sub
oTned false witnesses to accuse him, thrust
him into a dungeon and tortured him. 1t
goes on to say that the Jews. believ-
ing him 10 be innocent. insisted on
him being set free and tried q third time
before the priests and elders. and PLATE
yielded It was on this occasion, accord
ing to the Buddhist, that the priests, not
PLATE declared that they found no fault
in the man and declared him not guilty;
but PLATE, enraged at their obstinacy,
ordered Issa TO death on his own respOn-
sibilty. Still adhering to the parallel,
the Buddhist makes the priests wash their
hands in a sacred vessel, and say to the
Roman Governor. 1--WE are innocent of the
blood of this righteous man." The two
stories of the crucifxion tally; but the
Buddhist writer makes PLATE disinter the
body Of Christ and rebury il in secret
place, whence arose the belief in the resur-
rection.
There is no improbability in the story
that narrative Of the life of Christ may
have been found in one of the ancient
monasteries OF Thibet. After the crucifix-
ion the disciples scattered in every rec
ton, aud some of them are quite likely 10
have found their way to Tibet Again,
seventy years later, the dispersion of the
Jews took place, and it is known that
some Of them migrated to MesopOtamia
aud beyond, and quite probably took with
them traditions of the stirring scenes in
which their fathers had taken part.
Thus IL this book were fortified by the
affidavits Of credible witnesses, who saw
ii taken from the Thibetan archives, and
could testify that 1t was written In the
characters which were used in the early
centuries of our era, it would deserve
serious attention and belief in its anthem
ticitv might be justified.
There is at present no sucn supporting
evidence. The book appears in London
under a name which, as far as The public
knows, may be pseudonym. The names
of two alleged translators ale given; they
also are unknown personages. Ii must be
Judged on its intrinsic claims to credibility,
and these. as matters stand, are slim. Per
haps some light on the mystery may be
derived from study of Professor Graetz's
History Of the Jews" Of which the Jew
ish Publication Society of Philadelphia is
now publishing a translation. The pro-
fessor departs from the prudent nom
eommittal course of Ewald TO describe
Christ as being the victim OF the jealousy
OF Plate. lie acquits the Jewish hierarchy
Of responsibility for the crucifxon. This
rather novel view of a transaction upon
which opinion has long been liked is con-
frmed by the new Buddhist story: perhaps
il was written for that object. At any rate,
in the absence of conclusive testimony of
its genuineness. the presumption is that it
is a curious imposture, like the poems of
Ossian.