Unknown Life of Jesus Christ Old Edition 1894 Publication

Author(s): Nicholas Notovitch, Virchand R Gandhi, Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: World Jain Confederation
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/032166/1

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE
-OF
JESUS CHRIST

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PC
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THE VALE OF KASHMIR. -See page 36.
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Verchrund Supchur
THE UNKNOWN LIFE
IN
JESUS CHRIST./3
CHRIST./37
-OF
FROM AN ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT,
RECENTLY DISCOVERED IN A BUDDHIST MONASTERY IN THIRET BY NKHOLAS NOTOVITCH,
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH AND EDITED WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND ILLUSTRATIONS

-BY
VIRCHAND R. GANDHII, B. A.
BOMBAY, INDIA.
REVISED BY
PROF. G. L. CHRISTIE, B. A.
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PARIS.
CHICAGO:
VIRCHLAND R. GANDHI, 6558 Stewart Boulevard.
1894.

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COPYRIGHT, 1891,
----Ry -
VirCIIANI) R. GANTIIT.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS.
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Prcfacc...... Translator's lutroduction......
..... XI Jouncy to Thibet........................... Thc Lilc of Saint Issa ............................
Suminary........................................99

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LIST OR ILLUSTRATIONS.
The Vale of Kashmir........ .......... Frontispiccc Shringar...
...................... VI The llimis Monastery............................X111 Inscription in the Ilimis Monastery .............xy Solomon's Thronc..
.... 32 M. Notovitch on the March.. Hari Parvat.... ............. The Seventh Bridge of Shrinagar.... Tic Carriers of M1. Notovitch........ The Shaky Bridge of Kashmir......... Serne Near Surglol....... A Budithist Monastcry in Litcak........ Lyuicroo.......... Leh. as seen from outside the city....... Leh, as seen from the marketplace..............121

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SHRINAGAR.-See page 40.

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PROFACE.
Subscquent to the Turkish war (1877-1878) 1 (1dertook a scries of journcy's in the Orient. llaving visited all the localities, more or less remarkable, of the Balkan Peninsulin, l (IDSSC le Caucasus mountain to Central Asia und l'ersin, inal finally in 198; I starteri sur lwili, a most extraordinary country, which one int. tracted me from my carly days.
The aim of my journey was to become incquainter with tlic inhabitants of India, and to study on the spot their minnncrs and customis, the grand and mysterious archicology, and the colossal and majestic nature of this country. Wandering from one place to another, without a sellicc plari, I reaclicet the mountainous Alghanistan, from where I reached India by the picturesque passes of Bolan and Guernai. Having ascended thic Indus as far as Rawal l'indi, I crossed the l'unjab, the country of the live rivers, and visitor the Golden Temple of Armits und the toil) or Ranjit Sing, the king of the l'unjab, ncar labore. I then directed my stops towarels Kasluir. "the valley or cternal lelicity." There in order to satisfy my curiosity, I recomienced my wanderings and continue them until I arrivedat Lactalie whence I decided to return to Russia, through Karakorrount and Clinesc Turkestant.
One day in the coursc of my visit to the Buddhist content, situated on my route, I lcarnt from the chics Lama, that were existed in the archives of Lassa very ancient memoirs trenting of the life of Jesus Christ in the nations of the Occident, and that certain great

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viii
I'REFACE. monastcrics possessed copies and translations of those chronicles. As there was little probability that I should again visit those countries, I postponed to a future date my return to Europe, and, cost what it might, I resolved cither to secure those cupics from the great convents, or at any rate go to Lassa for further information on the subject--a journcy far from being so dangerous and difficult as wc arc led to belicve. Morcover, by this time I was so well accustomed to these kinds of perils that they could not deter me from my lilcrtaking.
During my stay at Leh, the capital of Ladak, I vis. ited thic grcat nuonastery of Ilimuis, situated ncar the city. The chicf Lama of the monastery told me that the monastic library contained some copies of the manuscript in question. Lest I should awaken the suspicion of the authorities on the object of my visit to the convent, and thicreby find obstacles in my character as a Russian in my future journey in Thilct, 1 dctcrmined to Icave the capital of Ladak, and departed for India. An unfortunate fall, by which I broke my lcg, furnished mc with an unexpected prctcxt to return to the inonastery, whicre I received excellent care; and during my sliort stay will die Luas, i laditle lionor of obtaining the consent of their chics to have brought from the librarylle mannscript relating to Jesus Christ, and, aidcal by my interpreter, who translated for mc from the Thibetan langunge, I wrole down cuelully the verses as they were read by thic Lama.
Not doubting at all the authenticity of this chronicle, related with great exactitude Ivy tlic Brahmin historians and by the Buddhists of India and Nepal, I determined upon my return to Europe to publish thic translation. With this olject lieliessee mysell to several well-knowi ecclesiastics, represting them to revise these notes, and to give me their opinion of them.

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PREFACE:
ix This Lordship, Bishop Platon, the celebrated Metropolitan of Kiew, adınitted that this discovery was ol great importance; hc, however, endeavored to dissuadc mc from giving publicity to the memoirs, declaring that their publication would only injurc mc. Why? This the venerablc prelate refused to tell mc inore explicitly. Our conversation, however, having taken place in Russia, whicrc ccnsure might havc vctocd such a work, I dctermined to wait.
A year later I happencd to be in Rome. There I submitted my manuscript to a cardinal who has great influence with the Pope, and who answered me as follows: "What is the use of having that published; no one will attach any great importance to it, and you will only crcate numerous cnemies. Nevertheless, you are still young. If it is a question of money which interests you, I can obtain for you a recompense in cxchange for your notes which will rcmuncratc you well for all cxpense and for the time lost." Naturally, I refused.
At Paris I spoke of my project to Cardinal Rotelli, whose acquaintance I had made at Constantinople. He also opposed the publication of my work under the pretext that it would be premature. "The church," lic acided, "suffers already too much from this new current of atlicistic idcas, and you will only furnish new pasturc to the culumniators and slanicrers of the Evangelical doctrine. I say this in the interest of all Christian churches." After this I called on M. Jules Simon. He found that my communication wis il very interesting one and recommended me to ask the advice of M. Rinau, upon the best way to publish the inemoirs.
The next dry found me in the office of the great philosophier. At the end of our conversation, M. Riman propuseil to me to intrust the memoirs in question to luim, so that he might be able to make a report to the

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I'REFACE. cindy. This popieriniull 1177, IS yoga y casils: understand, very lonllpylintly used 11:111etille. I owever, canine way the work ander the pretext or revis ing it once . I loresaw in truth that is liccepted this combination, I would only cnjoy the honor of having discovered the Chronicle, while the illustrious author of the "Life of Jesus' would have all the glory of thic publication and the commentaries. Beleiving mysell sufficiently well prepared to publishi alone thic translation of the Chronicles with notes, I declined the very gracious offer which M1. Riinan bual macle. In order not to wound the susceptibility of the great master, for whom I entertained a profound respect, I resolved to wait lill his death illatal crent which could not be laur alistut, julging from his general sccbleness.
s short time after the death of M. Ronan, I wrote to M. Jules Simon asking his advice: lle replied that it was for me to avail myself of the opportunity that was presented for placing the memoirs before the public. I then put my notes in order, and am now having them publislıcel, reserving the right to aflirm the authenticity of the chronicles. I set forth in my commentaries the argument which should convince ils of the sincerity and good faith of the Buddhist compilers. I ide that before criticising my work, the learned societies could, without much expense, organize : scientific expedition, luving for its mission the study of these manuscripts on the spot and thus verify their historical value
NICHOLAS NOTOVITCH.

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TRANSLATOR'S INTRODUCTION.
The work, the translation of which I now put before the public, has created much comment among the thinking people all the world over, and journalists have written both favorable and hostile criticisms on it. I shall not devote the pages of this work to a consideration of those criticisms. Having, however, been born in India and traveled over that vast country, I feel it my duty to put before the reader some salient points which seem to me to have an important bearing on the facts set forth by the work.
I do not know why Christian theologians misrepresent the facts, which they can, if they intend to be truthful, put before the intelligent public in their true light. I can cite numerous instances in which reverend gentlemen have, intentionally or unintentionally, distorted, mangled and murdered the truth I do not know with what object. The intelligent public of this country are well acquainted with the Rev. Dr. Edward Everett Hale, of Boston, and had I not known him at all I would have said that he had intentionally misrepresented the facts when he wrote an article in the North American Review (May, 1894) on "The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ:" but knowing, as I do, of his broad views and catholic spirit, I would simply attribute his statements in that article to ignorance on the subject. That Reverend gentleman, while criticizing this work (The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ), says: "But now Mr. Notovitch comes to the front and remembers that

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INTRODUCTION.
he has an excellent Life of Christ which he found in a somewhat mythical convent in Thibet, some years ago," meaning thereby the convent of Himis, where Mr. Notovitch discovered the manuscripts, and further on: he visited the convent of Himis, which we do not find on our own calendar of Buddhist ecclesiastical establishment near Leh, the capital of Ladak." Monstrous statements! The monastery of Himis is one of the most well-known institutions in Thibet, and very few persons who have traveled in Ladak have failed to visit that monastery. ProfessorSir Monier Monier-Williams makes mention of this monastery in his work on Buddhism (p. 433, English edition, 1889) in these words: "Hence large monastic institutions are often found in solitary places and elevated situations; for instance, in Ladak those at Lama Yurru and Himis are more than 11,000 feet above the sea, and that at Hanle is 14,000 feet. They resemble romantic castles towering upwards in the midst of rocks, crags and snowy mountains." In the years 1854-58 a scientific mission was undertaken by the brothers Hermann, Adolphe and Robert de Schlagintweist to India and High Asia; they also visited various parts of Thibet and the Buddhist countries in the Himalaya. The first of them visited the monastery of Timis in September, 1856, and got an exact copy of a curious inscription relating to the founding of the institution, which is carved on a stone slab in the monastery, and of which I here give a copy and the translation for the information of my readers. I also give a picture of the monastery, so that they may be assured of its existence.
"
The inscription is divided into two paragraphs, the first of which begins with a hymn to the Buddhist triad: Hail! Praise be and benediction! Salutation to the teachers! To the most perfect, eminent Buddha,
41

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ཅ" " * ན་(ཀ་བུ་3་ }སོན་བ་ བསླiབ་ཚནfན་བྱ། །བདེ་ལས་ས
ཁ་ཡཾ། དགྲོསཝ་ངོད་ཧ་ བ ཙ་བ་འཐ་སཾiirསོ་ས•་ཆ་ནས་བ་དུར་ ད་ ། བ ཀུ་བ་ཀུན་ཧཱུཾཝ་འབྱུང་སཾ་ནད་ • མས་ཟབ་ཟརོ༣་བར་ལྟར་ང་ཤིང་ idན་ནི་ན་བ་ པཚད་ས་ས་སོ་བའི་བད་ཉེ་ས་ནས བོད་་་ཟདེས་བོད་ས་བུད་པ་ ན ས་ བཟང་(བས་ཟཎའོ་༣ཙཟན་ཆསཾ་ དབr3-་ལྟད་ན བཟང་ནིབ་གནས་༨༩ད་ས་ར་ར་ར་ར་དང་ དུ། རྡོ་རྟེང་བྱ་འདུ་ཟ༣བས་ ཅ་ ཟླ་འཛ་་སཾ། ས་བt་མི་ཟ་ཡིན་ན་། ཟི་ཁ
བདཝརྟ་ས་ཟ་བཞིན་ཟ་བུན་ལས་ས་ཏྭཾ་ཐབར ་་་ཟེ་ཎ་ས་ག་ཟ་དུ་ས་བཙན་ས་ བ་, je'་ :་:4:བ་་་མ་་རསཝད་མ་སti••ན་ ད་ }་ཚེ་བཟ་བ་བདུནས །ཟབ་ ་ཙ་མ་ ཟད་''ནཱ མ མ་ར་བད་ཙ་དj༤༣བ• བྱ་ འོ་ •ས་་ད་ ཤུ་ནི་ང་རག ་རིས་སའི་གསོ་་་་9ཐ•དུ་་་ས་་་ད་ དད་བར་ནི་ འི ༣ང་ང་ར་ཐོན་ནས་ས། |fས་འུ་ཝཙབཤུས ཟ་མ་་་་་་བརr༣༢བས་ • དམཝ་་་་་་ཐོ་བུར་བདེ་བ་བྲ་ནད་ཀྱི་སཏྭཾ་ག་བས ༔ དདབེད་** •༣མས་ང། དད་ དམྨས་མ་ཚད་ཐོཟླ་དགས་བྱ་དོ་ནttན་སེལ་སན་ར་1ར་ དུ་ཟླ་ཟེ ད་པས་ཉེན་ཁ་ 'སྨད་་བྱུང, "ནུབློ་ཟབ་རཾ་སཾ་ས་བནས་་ ་ ་་ • ད༔ ནས་ཀྱི་ར་བ་ཟt• ;་ ཟ་མ་ཟ་ཚད་ཟ་་་ཙམ་ག•དི་མ་༢ཐབསོ•བr
དང་༣ དེ་3•ད་ཟེ་ས་ར་ན་ས་རྡ༦བJ་དྭ•དབ་པ་རེད་ཟབ་དར་ན་ང་ •བ་སད་་བརྡ་ངiri་་ བཟ་ཧུ་ན་བ་དང་འདཾ ཡཾ་རེ་རྒྱུརཝརྟནོངས་དཾཥ་༨ང་ས
•་བང་ན་་བྱེ་་་་་མ་་བས་ཆེ་བ་ང་བའི་ལཝ་ག་ རfaཉེན་ ཟ་ལམ་3བྱས་ན་ས་ད་ནད་ཀྱི་ཟ་ཟེཅུ་ད གི་བདག། པས། |་ཝཾ་ཅན་ན་ནུས་ས་ཁ་གསབ་བྱ་ནོ་བཟས་གནས་དང་འདི་བཟངྒེནང་ང་བ་ ༤ཉར་རྒྱུའི་ *བྱ་རྣང་བས་ད་རཱུ་ཙཝ་ཞིང་། རྡོར་བདེན་རང་ངོས་ན་སྦྱvརྗེ་བཙུན་རྣམ་སྣ་ཟླ་བའི་ཟླ་ཟ་བས་བྱེ་བ་
སངསྨ༥-༢ཏོངrtག་བློར་ཟུར་ཙན་དན་ད•ཙན་རན་དར་ཟེར་ yrཏ ཐབས་ཞེས་ང་ས་སྣོད་དུ་ཐ•ག་ནཾ ་གསར་དེfས་བུར་རིསཝནཾ་ཟད་ཟར་
རྟའ་རོ •ནཌོའམ་བསམ་ཝ་•ད་་ང་དང་ཟས་ཟ དང་༔་༔ན་ཟ•ས་ ཤེས་ བུ•བས་ 1:ཐ་མ་ག• ཞིང་སྣ་དེ་བསཟ་•ལྟར་དར་བ་ནས་དྲུ་ཟླང་ཟ་ཅུ < •་བréད་ཟར་ རྨ• 4、 ཁང་སོགས་༨ང་། བསང་མ་༔t•རྣས་ང་བཝ་༣ ༔ དེ་༔་ཙར་གྱི་ར་༨༣ •༨ད་ ཐ བཟ་ ༣ཟ་༢༣་༣་ངང ༣•དབལཙན་བབ། རྀ་རྡ•་བུ་ཝནཟས་ས་ནུས་ཡཾ་ད• |་ས་༡༣༣རུཝན
་མའི་ 1གཟན་ཙེང + •ད ་་་ ་་ཁ་ཅུང་་་ཟ་་ང་། )•དད་པ་ བསྟན་གནས་རྗེ་༤༩༠་ དrt 31 ངགཾ ་ས་• རྒྱུ་ ས་ང1 |་དམཝསཾམན་བ་་་ བ་སཾཙt། །ཟའ་ཟུ་ནི་་་་་་ •ར་༥༤ 1 ཀཟག་ན་སཾ་ཝ་དཱ་ཝ་་ད དན {•i་་ 3i་ ཐོས་བ་ད་ང་། ད བུན་ཐོབ་ སྦྱོང ་ཟབཟང་པའི་དུས། དབུ་མ་ ཟདཾ་་བར་་དུས་སུ་འབབ། དབུད་ནཙན་=་ལྡན་ན་ཧཱུཾ་༣ས, བང་བུམ་ནོང་ཏུང་དུ་ བྱུང ་ ། བརྡ་སླད་སཾ། ; brt ཁ་བ་•it
T11; INSCRIPTION IN TH; ILINIS MONASTERY.

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IRTRODUCTION. who has the characteristic signs and proportions; to the excellent law, which reveals thc cntirc cruth; to the congrcgation of the faithful, who endeavor to become delivered: all honor be to these three Supremacics after a prostration at the feet of the superiors | Lamas. ]"
The reinainder of the first paragraph relates the faithful adherence to Buddhism, of the founder of this monastcry, Dharmaraja Senge Nampar (iyalva, and his father, and the universal reverence paid by the Ladakians to the holy triail. It is stated that Sene Nitry prill ordered to be built in his territory the " Vihara Imon. astery] of the three gems," on a magnificent style, and named it "the Sangye chii kui sung thug chi ten." i. c. the support of the meaning of Buddha's precepts, " whence the sun of the doctrine arose in this country brilliant as the dawn of the day." It is further reported that in the reign of this monarch many most learned and powersul Lamas had come to Jacak and taught the doctrinc. The names of some of them are inentioned.
The stcond paragraph ventions that the crection of the convent was entrusted to l'al-dan-tsa-vai Lama, who had dwelt in mumcrous monasteries, and had become firm and strong in the ten commandments.
The edifice was commenced in the mouth Voda, in acertain ycar which in the Thibetan astronomy is namel "the malc watcr-horse ycar," and was finislice in the "male water-liger year." when the Lamit performed the ceremony of consecration, which is a sign of comples tion. "Inille male iron-dog year" were picca, outside thic cnclosurc, 300.000 prayer-cylinders. The docunicut concludes by alluding to the merits which the king, the workmica (the masons, carpenters, porters) and, in fact, all engaged in the construction of this monastery, hael derivert from their assistance, and mentions in particular the salutary in Muence which the monastery will cxer

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INTRODUCTION.
cise in future upon the welfare and salvation of the inhabitants of Ladak. The monastery was commenced in 1644 A. C. and finished in 1664.
If, notwithstanding these facts, the Himis monastery is "a mythical convent" or that "we do not find [it on our own calendar of Buddhist ccclesiastical institutions," the native of Central Africa may as well say that Chicago is a city existing only in the imagination of the Americans, or the inhabitant of the Fiji islands may say he does not find Palestine on his own list of Christian holy places. We can excuse these persons for their ignorance, but not a Doctor of Divinity like Rev. Dr. Hale.
M. Notovitch, having in his journey broken his leg, was obliged to stay for a short time at the monastery of Himis, where he received medical aid. This hospitality of the Buddhist monks is interpreted in a half sneer"It was as if ing, half sarcastic way by Dr. Hale, thus: a Buddhist delegate to the Parliament of Religions had been wounded in watching a Princeton foot-ball match and Dr. McCosh had received him to his hospitality. What more natural than that Dr. McCosh should give his guest a New Testament?" To a person educated to think that he is insulted if a stranger happens to talk familiarly with him, without ኀ ነ ነ introduction, Oriental hospitality may seem an improbability; but, despite the gratuitous assumptions of Western scholvisited India, that hospitality who have never is still there. It is in the hundreds of Dharmashalas [inns erected by the Jains of India at most of their important towns, in which travelers can rest for a time free of change, and at several places even meals can be had on the same terms. It is found, in the words of Sir William Hunter," in that gentleness and charity to all men, which takes the place of a poor law in India,
ars

Page #18

хvіі
INTRODUCTION, and gives in high significance to the half satirical cpithct of the 'mild' Ilindu."
I shall not dwell on other points misrepresented in Dr. Ilalc's article, dismissing them simply with the remark that it has been il sac (atality that Oricutals and their rcligions, manncrs and customs linve always been misconstrucd by people wio lave 110 riglie cu spucak thereon without making a thorough study of them.
India has been the reamlanıl of many scholars. Slulents, philosopher's und antiquariams. see visions on India. More Uw it hundred years ago (Angust 1783) Sir William Jones saw a vision while standing alonc on the deck of his vessel en route to India. It gave me," he says, "juexpressible pleasure to find myself in the midst of so noble an amphitheatre, almost cncircled by the vast regions of Asia, which has crer been cstcemed the murse of science, the invcntress of delightful :1110 useful arts, le scene od glurious actions, fertile in the preveductions of human genius, and infinitcly liversified in forms of religings in government. in thic laws, maniers, customs, as well as in tlic fcatures
/1
۱۱۱ ) ۱۱۱ sirادح ((1
".۱۱
This stud mu knew low to make his dicam come true, and change his vision into il realism. lle started Ewcpeul saluolars by luis translition or Shakuntala, "One of the greitest l'uriosities," its lv saill in luis press lace, "thit the literature ur Asin his yet brought to lighi." lle also translated the laws of Mam, founderl the Isiatic Socicly or Bung:u, iuclicrel marvelous results in the researches of ancient literature of India. Colebrook, II. U. 117/40)}} ind many others followed hin, und to-day we have it mass of Suscrit and Prakuit lillelille, I lindur. Juin und Budalbist, lying before tre Europa in scholaus, fiving it clue to India's ancient history:

Page #19

xviii
INTRODUC110V. If we are proud of these learned scholars wlio have disclosed to the Western nations thic ancient glory and civilization of India, wc cannot licíp being ashamed ol several short-sighteel Europeans, and Americans too, 11 love think their 'landia has liro Ristory leone mentioning: until the time of the Mabomedan conquest;" "tlat Judiu history is selling but it dreary record of isunion and subjection," incl who on the whole present to the public, Imdir as a conquerce country. But the careful student of Indian antiquitics and literature is convinced that they present i history of Ilindu civilize.. tion for thousands of years so sull and clear "tat lic who runs may read."
The theory that Jesus at the age of thirteen went to India has been held by many to be true, but it is for the first time advanced publicly bv M. Notovitch. Ortliortox Christians would chcem it sacrilegious even to imagine that the "Son of God" went to India uul Licre sturica its religions and philosophies. We shall erumine the facts which will help us to reason on this
point.
Christian livines lavedescribed India as it heatlien country both materially and spiritually. Comparisons Pre frequently drawn between the civilization of Ancient Iulia u Europe, udh it missionary in Tolia has taken great pains to show that llindu civilization will nothing in comparison with modern Western civilization. lle also thinks that the civilization of illicient India represented only the influcy of civilization. To him the glorious civilization of Europe is the model. Is his opinion only thc ignorant and hall-clucated look upon the past is the Golden, und the present as the 1101:19:?; Wiik: le huimself forgets luis own doctrines ont the original fill of 11:01.
It is il great mistake to compare the linelui civili

Page #20

INTRODUCTION.
xix zation with Western civilization. It is impossible to compare the industrial productions, hand wrought of India, with those of Europe, "turned out" as it is aptly phrasccl. by machines. Machinery and mechanical progress carrot loc ippoticed to try illtistir wrotki(Xerapie the avowell imitation or copying of great it works. It is true that the Ilindu irtist has his own traditions on decorative art, which is il crystalized tradition although perfect in form; it is true that the spirit of fine art which is latent in India, rcquires to be quickence into creative operations in these times. Still thic Indian Workman, from the humblest potter to the most cunning embroiderer in blue, purple, scarlet and gold. is it true artist. But has the Western civilization preserred his true character? Sir George Birdwood. who lived and studied in India for a number of years the native industries of that country, says in connection with the indian exhibits in the l'aris fixposition of 1978; ."lintiu collections are now also. infortunately, becoming it cvery succeeding exposition, morc and 111010 over-crowded with mongrel articles, the result of the influences on Indian art, of English society, missionary schools, schools of art, inne international exhibitions, and above all, of the irresistible energy of the mechanical productiveness of Man chester, Birmingham, Paris and Vicina."
Terry in his "Voyages to the East Indies," 1655, in describing the people of India writes: “The natives there show very much ingenuity in their curious mineTactures, its in their silk stuffs, which they most utilicially wcale, some of them very neatly mingleal with silver or gold, or both; as also in making quilts of Urcir stained clothi or of fresh colored tallinna line with their printidues (prints or chinez.), or el teir satin, lincel with tassata, betwist which they put pure cotton-wool.

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XX
INTRODUCTION. und work them togetlicr with silk.
They will make any new things by pattern, howsocver dillicult it may seem to be; it is thcrclure no marvel if the natives there makc boots, clothes, linen, bands, cuffs of English fashion, which are all very different from their own fashions and habits, and yet make them all cxceedingly nicat."
I am not a supporter of the castc system as it cxists to-day in India, but I am convinced, with Dr. Leitncr, forıncrly the Registar of the Punjab University in India, that the preservation of caste in its original form is the preservation of ancient civilization and unparallcled culture of lulia, inclusive of its arts and inte vustries, which is perfectly compatible with every legitimate demand of modern requirements or aspirata tions. "The recognition of the principle of licrcdity in ibilities and desccts, so tarcily recognized by our 'n physiologists, has maintained Indian sociсty, Imiut wisdom, Indian bravery, and Indian arts, and can alone preserve Indian loyalty and cosure Indian progress on the lines of its own genius. It is only imitation of forcign models that can kill what thousands of ycars and llic various vicissitudes of conquest llave spareci." Sir George Birdwood thercíorc says to the European pulylic: "We therefore incur a great responsibility when we deliberately undertake to improve such a people in the practice of their own arts, and hitherto the results of our attempts to do so have been anything but cicouraging. The Kashmir tracic in shawis has becm ruined through the quickness with which thic wcavcrs have adopted the 'improved shawl patterns' which the Fireneligents of the Paris import kronises have set bclore them, inel presently we shall see what the effect of thic tencliing of our Schools of Art bas been on Indian pottcry, the noblest pottcry in the world until we began

Page #22

INTRODUCTION.
xxi to meddle with it. * * We incur il great respon. sibility in attempting to interfere in the direct art cducation of a people who already possess the tradition: of a system of decoration founded on perfect princii ples, which they have Icarned through centuries of practice to apply with werring truth. * * 01 late thcsc handicraftsmen, for the sake of whose works the wholc world has been ccasclessly pouring its bullion for three thousand ycars into India, and who, for all the marvelous tissues and broidered work, have fouled no strcams, nor poisoned any air; whose skill and individuality the training of countless generations has developed to the highest perfection; these hereditary Namıicraftsment are being everywlicre gathercal fronti ticir democratic village community in hundreds and thousands to the colossal mills of Bombay to drudge in gangs at manufacturing piece-goods, in competition withi Manchester, in the procluction of which they are no more intellectually or morally concerned than the grinder of a barrel organ in the 'tunc it turns out.'”
The arts and sciences of India are not modern. Their origin is hidden in pre-historic times.. Religion and philosophy have been the great contributions of India to the world, and they have drawn savants and philosophers to her in times, ancient and modern. Is it improbable then, that Jesus, too, might have visited India? But if he did, how, especially in times when there were no convenicnces for traveling?
The ancicnt commcrcc of India with other countries had brought her people in close concction with those of others, who went to India cither by sca or by the caravan routc. Many people are skeptical as to ulicie laving been any intercourse, in those times, between inclia and the countries around the Mediterranean, but careful investigations of scholars have conclusively

Page #23

xxii
INTRODUCTION.
shown that India's gold and silver, precious stones, spices and silks had always attracted people of other countries to her. The Hindu and Jain Scriptures bear ample testimony to this-which to the average Christian reader are but myths, while the Bible is to him a veritable record of truth. We will proceed from his standpoint, and prove conclusively that the most valuable and complete notices of the ancient trade of India are in the Bible.
Moses about 1500 B. C., in Genesis 11. 11-12, describing the first head, Pison, of the river of Eden says: "That is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. * * * There is b'dellium and the onyx stone." B'dellium is the gum resin of two varieties, both natives of Sindh in India; cinnamon mentioned in Proverbs vII. 17, and Song of Solomon IV. 1.4, is the product of Ceylon. In Numbers XXIV. 6, Balaam compares the camp of Israel to "A garden by the riverside as the trees of lign-alocs which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters." This lign-aloes is the most precious of all perfumes known in Sanskrit, Agaru, and in the Hebrew Ahalim and Ahaloth. In the Song of Solomon (Circa B. C. 1000) IV. 13-14, mention is made, besides of myrrh, aloes, cinnamon, frankincense and calamus, of camphire saffron and spikenard, in this and also in 1. 14, camphire, the Hebrew copher, is the Egyptian hennah, a native of East India. The saffron, in the Hebrew karkan, the Sanskrit kunkuma, is a native of Kashmir, and spikenard is exclusively a native of Nepal and Bhotan at great elevations. The costus of Psalms XIV. 8, translated by Cassia in the English Bible, is also exclusively a native of Kashmir. These three famous products of the Himalayas, with b'dellium, the vine, pomegranate, lign-aloes, salep, hemp and musk, and

Page #24

xxiii
the Balas ruby, lapis-lazuli and turquoise have been known from the earliest associations with the Aryans of India, whence saffron and hemp have followed their migrations everywhere throughout the temperate zone of the globe, The sandalwood used by Solomon for flooring and pillars is a native of India and the Eastern Archipelago only. The word "cotton" is not used in the English translation of the Bible; but in the passage of Esther (Circa B. C. 450) 1. 6, "There were white, green and blue hangings," the Hebrew word translated green is Karpos, identical with Sanskrit Karpasa and Hindi Kapas, cotton, an aboriginal Indian production. The passage should be read: "There were white and blue (striped) cotton hangings," like the sattrangis made all over Hindustan at the present day.
Opium, hemp, tin and many other things were known by Homer in their Sanskrit names. The peacocks mentioned 1. Kings x. 22, and II. Chronicles 1x. 21, along with ivory.and apes are true Indian peacocks as is proven by the Hebrew word used for them, tukkiyim being identical with the Sanskrit word tokki for peacocks. The Hebrew word koph here used for apes is also the Sanskrit kapi. Iron is frequently mentioned in the Bible under the Hebrew name of paldah, which is the Arabic fulad and indicates Indian iron. Homer mentions tin by its Sanskrit name kasttra, and the Phenicians, who first learned the name from the trade through the Arabs with India, afterwards gave the name of Cassiterides to the Scilly Islands and Cornwall, where it still survives in Cassiter street, Bodmin. Homer's triple-gemmed ear-rings, Illiad xiv. 183, and Odessy, XVIII. 298, are the emerald car-rings of India, The pomegranate, the vine and the Soma are indirectly connected with the development of the Indian trade. The pomegranate is a native of Northwestern

INTRODUCTION.

Page #25

INTRODUCTION.
Xxiv india, wlience it was carricci lo lle c licst ryan cruigrictions into Media in Syrii, :11161 alterwarels by the Phoenicians and the Carthaginius, from whence its Latin name Purica Granatum is derived. It is collstantly represented on tlic sculptures of Assyria and Egypt with grapes and peaches, mel is frequently mcntioned in the Bible (Ex. XXVIII. 33-34; XXXIX. 24-26; Numb. XIll. 23; xx. 5; Dcut. vill. 8; 1 Kings vir. 18; Song of Sol. iv. 3. 13.) The Somn, the renownca drink of the Vedas, and hom of the Zond Avesta, is indigcious to the Punjab and tlic Bolan pass, Khandesli, and the Glats of Western India and Caromandel Coast; and from the sacred rites and rejoicings whichi accompanied tic drinking of its fermented sap in Vcdic times, and which are still celebrated among thc Brahmins of India, it evidently was thc first intoxicant discovered by thic Bralumins. The division of thic l'ersians from the Brahmins was the result of a dispute over the use of Soma as a religious service, particularly in the ceremony which symbolized the intoxication of the gods, which thic Persians rcsolutely resisted. In thic Caucasus mountains and Armenia the use of soma gradually passed into the use of winc (Gen. IX. 21), a fact which suggests an explanation of the truc Brahmin origin of Bicchus und of the Dionysinc rites of ancient Greece. In the valley of thic Tigris and Fuplirates, the sap of the date palm particularly was substituted for that of Som or hom as an intoxicating drink. There is a verse in the Rig Veda ix. celebrating the virtues of Soma, it finer Bacchic burst cannot be met with among the most enthusiastic of pocts who have suing of winc: “O, Soma! tlicre is nothing so bright as thou. When poured out, thou welcomncst all gods, to bestow on tlicni imtortility. * * The praisewortly Somit hits from illicient times been the crink of the gods; lie was milked

Page #26

INTRODUCTION.
XXV
from the hicilen recesses of the sky: he was created for Indra and was extollce. * In that realm where there is perennial light, and whicre thic heaven is placed, O Soma, send me to that scathless and immortal realm! Flow thou for Indra."*
These facts prove the pre-liistoric antiquity of the trade of India with the IV'est; it originated through Persia, Media, Mesopotamia, Syria and Asia Minor with the exodus of the Aryan race from Central Asia, as the philologists inser, from thic names of various spices, drugs, vegetables, stones, ctc. We also know that the ship captains of Solomon and Iliram not only brought Indian apos, peacocks and sandal-wood to l'alestine, tlicy also brought thcir Sanskrit names. This was about 1000 B. C. The Assyrian monuments show that the rhinoceros and clephant were among the tribute offered to Shalmancser II. (859-823 B. C.) The Greek historian Ilckataios, of Milctos, (549-486 B. C.) speaks clearly of India. Ilcroclotos, too, (450 B.C.) had some knowledge of India; and since Alexander's invasion ( 327 B. C.) the knowledge of the Western nations about India has become a matter of history. After Alexander's death his empire was partitioned, and Bactria an! India fell eventually to Selcukos Nikator, the founder of the Assyrian monarchy, (,323 B. C.) While Seleukos reigneel in Syria from 312 to 280 1. C., Chudra Guptil reigned in the Gangetic valley from 316 to 292 B. C. In 312 B. C., Seleukos laving recovered Babylon, proceeded to re-establish his authority in Bactria aud the l'unjab. After it war with Chandra Gupta, Seleukos code the Greek settlements to the Indian king and left Megasthenes as an ambassador at the Gangetic court. lle also gave his claughter to Chandra Guptil in marriigre.
Sir George Ilindersll:100mmik.

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xxvi
INTRODUCTION.
We see, therefore, that, long before Jesus was born, India had become a familiar topic with the Western people. Alexander had brought Greece and India face to face; his officers wrote descriptions of different parts of his route, which have since perished, but they furnished materials to Strabo, Pliny and Arrian. Arrian gives a minute account of the sea-born trade of India. Megasthenes, on the other hand, has left a life-like picture of the Indian people.
THE CARAVAN ROUTES. The manuscript discovered by M. Notovitch gives us a clear account of Jesus from 12 to 26. It says that he went to India with a caravan of merchants. Are there any grounds to sup
pose that he did so?
We know as a fact that the carliest trade between the East and the West was carried on by caravans, and long after the sea-routes by the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf began to be used, the land trade continued to be more important than the sca-borne. The earliest of these caravan routes were those between Egypt, Arabia and Assyria, and these are referred to in the Bible. In Gen. II. 11-12, we are told of the land of Havilah, that there was gold there, and b'dellium and the onyx stone. Havilah is in Arabia Felix, to the north of Ophir, and the passage simply indicates the route through which the b'dellium or musk of India was received in Egypt in the time of Moses. The passage, Psalms XIV. 8: "All thy garments smell of myrrh, aloes and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad," is generally supposed to allude to the tablets and alabasters or scent-bottles in which perfumes were kept in ancient times. But it may also be translated "Out of the ivory palaces of the Mineans," a people of Arabia Felix, who, like their neighbors, the Sabaeans and the Gerrhaeans on the l'ersian

Page #28

XXVH
INTRODUCTION. Gulf, were the cluicl carriers of thic indian tracc, and renowned in all ancient times for their fabulous opulence and luxury. 1o. lin. XXX111.25, we read that the sone tof Israel sat clown in Dothan to cat bread, "and they lilled up tlıcir eyes and looked, and behold a company of Ishumaclitcs came from Gilcad with their camels, bcaring spiccry anal balm and myrrh, going to carry it clown to Egyp," and that as the “Midianitos, merchantmen" passed by," his brethren sold Joseph to the Ishunaclites," who were probably traveling by thic immemmorial caravan route, through Canaan and Edom and Midian, from Chalcreat into ligypt, thic routc by which Israel afterwards sent his sons into Egypt with balm and lioncy, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds, for a present to "the man," their brother, who was now governor over the land. Many bcautiful and sublime scripture images are taken from this trade, as in Isaiah 1.XII. 1, "Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? * * They hold all swords, being expert in war, every man liath his sword upon his thigh, because of fear in the night;" passages giving also a vivid picture of a Meccu caravan of the present day, and of the dangers besetting it, withi its rich merchandise of China, loredia and Persia.
As we learn from the account of the wars, both of Moses ados. Girlcon witli the Midianites, they were it very wealthy Aral people, living partly by predatory incursions into the neighboring territories, and partly by carrying on a caravan traile, across the intervening deserts, with the powerful states of Egypt and Chaldiva.
There was an immcmorial commerce between ludia and the nations of the Micrliterranean and there were Scieril routes followerlit dillerent times. The renile by Kirman Gerrha and Petra was probably the oldest of

Page #29

xviii
INTRODUCTION
..11 Interpol lite tur producerad olid noor los Kiral illn (1111117. und was there courricel cross thor: l'ersian Cullio Giarrhii, the comporium of the pearl fisticry still cauriced on among Bahrein Islands, the ancient Tylos und Aradus, which with Muscat, were the original seals or those scalaring Arals, who afterwarcis establisheal themselves in Irenicia :00) Curried thicir settleonents from port to port along the castern and soutlicrn shores of the Mediterrancau from Tyre to Sidon to the coast of Mauritania.
1. Imelin, l'attala - the modern Thattha on the river Indus in Sinelli, was in carly times a place of great importvicc--the point where all the caravan routes in India. and leading into lucia, convergeet. It was near to this spot that Alexander crossed the indus, and licre also the diffcrent lines from China, through the Kashmir valley, and from Sarmatia (now Russia), Media and Mesopotamia, through the Bamian and Khajber passes first cntcrca ludil. Sinch was therefore the place where a caravan of forcign merchants would first halt in Ludia.* Tlus confirms the statement in the Buddhist manuscript of the life of Jesus that lic first went to Sinclls
Besides the caravan route, there were two other routes the l'ersian Gull route itill the Reel Seit route. The Bible is full of references to the trace by these routes ilso. Jerusalem was in carly times an important place or commerce and thic rivalary between Jerusalem inel Edom linds a striking expression in the Bible tiroughout the whole period of prophetic (levelopinent ilmong the licbrews, as in Isaiah XXXIV. 5-6; Jeremiah XLIX. 13-22; Bizekici XXV. 13-14, and XXXV. 15; and Amos 1. 10-12
*] inechtel for much of this information to Sir George Birdwood.

Page #30

INTRODUCTION
vrir The crowning proof of the Indian trade will the countries on the shores of the Mediterrancan and the Red Scas before the birth of Jesus, is offered from the fact that during the reign of l’tolemy Euer getcs (B. C. 145-116), a llindu was found on thic Egyptian coast of the Reel Sea in a boat by himseil, speaking a language unknown to the people of that country. and whose ship had been wrecked there. The prominient headland on the south-cast coast of Arabia is namcd Ras-el-kubir-Ilimdi -- " The Cape of the llindu's Grave"- from the fact that navigation was considered dangerous in those times by the Arabs. The castaway Ilindu, however, on being taken to Alexandria, offereel to pilot an Egyptian ship back to India by the voyage he had himself made, and Euxodus was sent on this voyage of discovery, and reached India and returned safely to Egypt with a cargo of spices and precious stones. The greatest skeptic must admit that the land and sca-borne trade of India had given her a worldwide lamic not only for her gold, spices and silk, but for her rcligions and philosophics also.
Bucha, the founder of Buddhism, dicul in 543 B. C., and Mahavira, the last Arhat of the Jains, in 526, that is, 17 years later. Jainisin hus licen known to have cxistod cieni xefore the time of Bucidunt :11111 therefore is the oldest missionary religion in the listory of the world. Ishioka the Great, the Emperor of Northern India, was converted to thic faith of Buddha in 257 B. C., and his grandson, Samprati, later on was converted to Jainism, The grandfather and the grandson liave done for their respective religions what Constantine has donc foi Christianity.' Ashoka has left a number of cdicts in the form of inscriptions cut on rocks, caves and pillars and in the language will alphabet or thic time, and scat. tered all over India. The famous French scholar Sen

Page #31

XXX
INTRODUCTIOL. art las recently published these inscriptions in his learned work "Les Inscriptions clc Piyadasi." From the thirteenth inscription, which mcntions the names of Antiochus of Syria, Ptolemy of Egypt, Antigonus of Macedoni, Magas of Cyrene, and Alexander of Epiros, it appears that these kings were contemporaries of Ashoka and that they made treaties with him, and with their permission he sent Buddhist inissionaries to preach liis religion in those countries. Ashoka's grandson sent missionaries to many foreign countries to preach Jainism and often the monks of one religion were mistaken for those of the other, by reason of a close similarity in dress and ceremonial observances. These religions were thcrcfore well-known in Egypt, Syria, Greccc and other places, long before Jesus was born. “ Buddhist missionaries," says a Christian writer, "prcaclied in Syria two centurics before the teaching of Christ (which lias so many moral points in comnion) was hcard in northern Palestine. So true is it that cvcry great historical change has had its forerunner."
It is beyond doubt, therefore, that India was commcrcially connected with the countries situated on the shores of the Mediterranean many centuries before the birth of Jesus; that India's wealth and commoditics had attracted different peoplc to her in very ancient times; that licr rcligions were openly preached and known in the very land which afterwards became thic birth-place of Jesus; that Alexander's conquest had made foreign nations more familiar with India and her people and her glory had sprcad throughout the world then known. Is it then inpossible that Jesus; having hcard of the richness of thic philosophics and sciences of India; should have gone there with a desire to study thicin? Add to this thic various passages, both in the Old and New Testaments, which bcar a close resemblance with the Bud

Page #32

INTRODUCTION.
xxxi dhistic, Hindu and Jain thoughts, (nay, some of the very customs and practices of the Jews of those carly times can be fully explained only in the light of Indian wisdom) and the evidence is overwhelming in favor of the theory that Jesus must have been attracted to and lived in India during the time about which the Evangelists are silent.
In connection with the original work, in French, of M. Notovitch, I have very little to say. In the first part of his book, “Journey to Thibet," he gives a very minute description of the hills, gorges, rivers, ctc., over which he traveled, which is tedious to the average reader. I have, therefore,'abridged that part, and have described his journcy in iny own words, omitting nothing that is at all interesting; on the contrary, I have added many things which M. Notovitch could not, hic being a forcigner in the East, and thereforç not well acquainted with its people and their customis. I have illustrated the work with inany pictures—which I hope will make the book acccptable to all readers.
Thic summary which appears at the end of the book, I have given verbatim, but have added several footnotes
M. Notovitch, being a foreigner in India, is not expected to be an authority on the religions, manners or customs of her pcoplc. Like other forcigncrs lic has formed incorrect notions, especially on such subjects for which he had to refer to works written by Europeans. I have, therefore, pointed out these facts in thic rootnotcs. Chicago, Jun, 1894.
VIRCHAND R. GANDIII.

Page #33

TO
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SOLOMON'S THRONE.-See page 40.

Page #34

JOURNEY TO THIBET.
During the sojourn of M. Notovitch in India, hc enjoyed frequent opportunities of mingling and holding converse with Buddhists, and the many interesting accounts which they gave him of Thibet so enthused him that he decided to take a journey to that still unexplored country.
With this object he chose a route leading through the enchanting valley of Kaslimir-a country which he had often desired to visit.
Leaving Lahore October 14th, 1887, he arrived at Rawal Pindi the following day, where he made all preparations for a long and tedious journey over a region where railroads are unknown, and where the only means of conveyance are horses-a journey more or less fraught with dangers from incomplete roads through rugged mountains, and the possible prey of wild animals with which the forests abound.
Often the traveler may journey many weary miles without finding an inn where he may rest, except the isolated bungalows, which have been erected at intervals along the road by the English; these are small houses with one floor, not particularly attractive for their comforts, but to the traveler, exhausted from climbing over the rugged and dangerous mountainroads, these bungalows where he may find shelter and rest appear even as a luxury.
It is not my intention to relate in detail all the incidents of this journey of M. Notovitch, which are sometimes tedious; nor shall I dwell on the glowing

Page #35

34
TINE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. descriptions of the grand and magnificent mountain gorges, and the picturesque landscapes made glorious by the songs of myriads of gay-plumaged birds which onc bcliolds with admiring cycs at cvery step in the forests; nor shall I attempt a dicscription of the gorgcous sunsets which, renowned travciers conccde, cannot be scen so glorious clsewhere in all the world as in tlıc Himalayas; not cvcn Italy with all lier immortal samc with which great artists have justly adorned her, can boast of such incxpressible grandeur as is displayed at sunset in these mountains. Thic perfectly purc atniospherc, llic dccp blue sky, against which the towering snow-capped peaks resemble huge masses of glittering silver, gold and liamonds, fantastically wrought, are scenes which intoxicate tlic senses of man with their ravishing bcanty, and he is utterly incapable of describing with tongue or per the magnificance of their splendors or the holy cmotions with which the soul is inspired.
I will confine myself to a faithful account of M. Notovitch's journey, giving all the points of interest touched upon by him.
Leaving the valley of the l'unjab, M. Notovitch, with his retinue, climbcel the steep winding road, penictrating the comicforts of the Ilipalayas, descending at sunset to the little town of Marri, which stands at an altitude of 7,457 feet, and is quite a summer resort for Englislı officials and thicir families. Thence they descended after nightfall, resting a few hours at a bungalow, continuing tlic journey at liwn, rcaching the Hamlet Tong at noon, at which place M. Notovitch Isireu a Ilincu cabriolet, which comeyance lic failed to enjoy on account of the cramped position in which lic las obliged to sit "like a Turk." Ic managed, howcier, to reach Ilori in this kind of carriage, at which

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ثال
M. NOTOVITCH ON THE MARCH.

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30 TILE UNKNOWN SITE OF JESUS CHRIST. place le changed his mosle of travel and securca sadJlc-horscs.
I will licrc relate an experience which M. Notovitch had at the little hamlet where lic halted to rest and lunch, and where provisions and all sorts of merchandise were soldi. Ile approacliecl i llincu, who was squatted bcforc a kettle of boiling milk and after having cxamince it somewhat cautiously to be sure that it was milk, he wanted to purchase a glassful of it, whereupon the merchant olícrce him the keltic and its contents; at this our traveler remonstrated, saying that he only dcsired one glass of it; it was there that he Icarned his first lesson in orthodox Brahminism. "According to our laws," said the Hindu, "if a stranger or one not bclonging to our castc, touches, grazcs or points his finger at our food, by such act it is polluted and we cannot cat it. We must, not only throw it away, but must thoroughly cleansc and purify the utensil." This will, of coursc, sceni perscctly absurd to the people of the West, but there are, I may add, decp metaphysical laws uncierlying many of these seemingly useless ccreinonies, which would not be understood by the reader withont a thorough study. I will not, thercíorc, attempt to explain them here.
M. Notovitch resiumed his journey and reached next cuching the celebrated valley of Kasumir. This "happy vallcy" is situated between the ranges of the Himalaya mountains and is about ciglity-five miles long and twenty-five wide, through the length of which wind in a serpentine course the sparkling waters of the river Thclum.
This valley is, 10 Joubt, the most beautiful in the Worll, with its placid lakes, its sparkling rivers (on which are hundreds of Noating houses, in which live as many families the year round), its fairy-like gardens

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 37 lloating on the lakes, its hills and islands covered with antique buildings, and its happy, easy-going, picturesque inhabitants, both malc and scinale, robed in long white gowns with full loose flowing sleeves--the mon with snow-white turbans, the women with little caps or bonnets, all of whom spend their time in thcir numcrous devotional cxcrciscs or quictly working on their cclcbrated shawls or working curious designs in gold and silver, for which tliere is but a dull market these days of rapid machinc imitations; and above all, the balmy atmosphere of this 'garden of the gods' conspires to make one forget all his troubles, rcal or imaginary.
There arc legends extant regarding this valley, one of which claims that in very ancient times this valley was a great lake, and that an invading king ordered his men to makc a passage between two rocks in a gorge, thereby draining the lake of its waters and ruining the adjacent country, by which lie gained victory over the inhabitants. Another legend is, that the waters themselves forced a passage between the rocks of a gorge, leaving nothing of the great lake cxcept a few lagoons and the river Jhelum.
M. Notovitch reached Shrinagar, the capital of Kashmir, on the evening of October 19th, where he remained six days, spending the time in making long cxcursions into the surrounding country, cxamining old ruins and studying tlic peculiar customs of the people.
The history of Kashmir is full of interesting inci(lents. I will give only a short sketch.
A Maliomcdan writer, Noor-ul-deen, who begins the history of Kaslimir with the Creation, affirms that the vallcy was visited by Adam after the fall; that the descendants of Scth reigned over the country for 1.00 ycars; and that after the cluge it became peopled by a tribe from Turkistan. The Hindu historians add that

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38 THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. ister thic line or Setia became extinct, thic Ilindus conquered the country and ruled it until the pcriod of the deluge, and that the Kashmirians were afterwards taught the worship of one God by Moses.*
It appears from chronicles actually existing that Kashmir has been a regular kindgcom for a period far Beyond the limits of history in general. From the year 2,666 B. C. to 1,024 A. C. it had been governed by princes of llindu and Tartar dynasties, and their names have been duly handled down to postcrity. In the reign of Ashioka, about the third century before Christ, Buddhism was introduced, and after remaining there for some tiine, under Tartar princes, the religion of the country was again succeeded by Hinduism. In the middlc of the fourteenth century the Mahomedans appeared on the scene and annexed for a tine Thibet to the kingdom of Kasur. Sikander, one of thic Malomcilon monarchs, destroyed the blindu temples and images by, fire and forced the people, at the point of the bayonet, to adopt the Mahomedan faith. At the end of the sixtecith century Akbar conquered this province. lle took a lathcrly interest in thic pcopic, but thic loyalty of his children was but short-lived, as certain persons raised an insurrection. In 1752; the country passed from the possession of the Mogul throne and sell under the rule of thc Duranis, and for many years was convulsce by a serics of wars and rebellions and subject to numerous governors. In 1813, Ranjit Sing, the Lion of the Punjab, became one of the recognized princes of India, and subdued the province of Kashmir. The Sikhs ruled for a time and after the English invasion of the Punjab, it came under the British rule. The Englislı, however, in consideration of $3,750,000, handed over tlic unfortunate Kashmirinns to the tender mercies
*" The Diary of a l'edestrian."

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
39 of Gulab Sing, an attendant and counsellor of Ranjit Sing, "the most thorough ruffian that ever was created -a villain from a kingdom down to a half-penny," and the Paradise of the Indies" was relinquished by England and forever, as was then supposed. But only a few years ago the present Maharaja was deprived of his powers by the British Government, and the country is now under British protection.
The "happy valley" of Kashmir does not possess the glory and prosperity that it did under the Mogul emperors, whose court enjoyed here the sweetness of pleasure in the midst of the pavilions, still standing on the islands of the lake. This was a great resort for the princes of Hindustan, who formerly came to spend the summer months, and to Enjoy the magnificent and unrivaled festivals given by the Moguls. But time has wrought sad changes for this valley and its former glory. I will add, however, that notwithstanding these changes, the Kashmirians have wonderfully preserved their artistic skill and mechanical talent. Kashmir shawls have attained a world-wide reputation. At the Paris Exposition of 1878 was exhibited, with other wonderful Indian products, a shawl worked with a map of the city of Shrinagar, showing its streets and houses, its gardens and temples, with people interspersed here and there; and boats on the calm blue waters of the river, giving a clear life-like picture as in a photograph. Another shawl was one mass of the most delicate embroidery, representing the conventional Persian and Kashmir wilderness of flowers, with birds of the lovliest plumage singing among the bloom, and wonderful animals, and wondering men.*
46
In fact, the embroidery on wool of Kashmir, both loom and hand-wrought, is of historical and universal * Reports of the Paris Exposition.

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40
THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. fanc. Elaborately chascd goblets, rosewater sprinklers, in ruddy gold and parcel-gilt, testify to the Kasi:mir goldsmith's skill. The finest gemmed and enanielled jewelry in India is that of Kashmir. The enumeration in Isaiah 111. 17-24 of the articles of the mundus muliebris of the daughters of Zion roads like an inventory of the cxcccdingly classical looking jewelry of Kashmir. The lacquered papier mache of Kashmir is the choicest in India.
Constant invasions and plunders fravc reduced tlic Kashmirians to poverty. They still retain much of their proud micn-the inen are strongly built, the women the most beautiful in the world with their clear white complexions and auglity bcaring.
Shrinagar, the capital, sonictimes called Kaslunir, is situated on the banks of the Jhelum, along which it extends the distance of about three iniles; the houses of two stories in which live a population of 100,000 inhabitants, border the banks of thc river, which is spanned by several bridges; the city is a little over a mile in width; steps lead from the houses to the waters of the Jhelum, where all the day people are to be scen performing their sacred ablutions, bathing or cleansing their utensils of copper. Onc part of the inhabitants are followers of thc Mahomedan religion, two-thires are Hindus, with a few Buddhists intersperscd among tlıcm.
Manufacturers of shawls, guu-makers, workers in leather and papier inache, jewelers, tailors, shoc-nakers, watch-menders, in fact all sorts of artisans, remarkable for thicir mechanical talent are to be found in this city. A visit to the sliow-roonis of shawl-merchants is a pleasure to the traveler.
Around the city there are several intcresting places. The Tuklt-i-Suliman or Solomon's Throne is an old

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TIL UNKNOWN LIFE ON JESTS CHRIST.
Tlindu temple, the oldest in Kasiuir, sicuricu upon 3 hill, 1,000 feet above the plain. . Its erection is ascribed to Jaloka, the son of Ashoka, who reigned in the third century before Christ. The fort of Hari Parvat is another interesting sight; built by Akbar in 1597 A. C.. at a cost of $5,000,000.
On the morning of October 27th, M. Notovitch left this interesting city to journey towards Thibet, adding to his retinue by purchasing a large dog wliich had previously made thic journey in company with the wellknown explorers, Bon Valot, Capus and l'opin.
Upon reaching the chain of mountains which separate the valley of Kashinir from the gorge of Sind, the party were obliged to crawl on all folirs almost ali the way over a suminit of 3,000 feet hiph; the carriers were quite exhausted from their licavy loads and front the fear of rolling down the deep declivity.
Descending from this point tlicy passed through several villages, Chokovar, Dras, karghil, ctc., balting only at thesc places for rest or to procure fresh liorses. Karghil is the chief town of the district and the scenery is certainly picturesque. It is situated on the confluence of thic Suru and Wakia rivers, the view of which on its left side is all of the most striking the traveler can ever behold.
M. Nolovitch procured fresh horses here and contirucal his journcy uver : route car from licing pleasant or salc, sonctimes passing over a very dangerous road, at other times being obliged to cross a shaky bridge consisting, as many bridges do in Kashmin, of two long beallis or trunks of trees inscrtcıl in thic crevices of thic rocks on either bank and small poles or stoncs laid across, sometimes fagots being Wirown on the poles and the whole covered with casi)). The traveler, when crossing this point, might well tremble at the thought

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. of a possible dislodgement of a stone or the oscillation of the beams which would precipitate the whole construction into the yawning chasm beneath.
M. Notovitch entered the boundaries of Ladak or Little Thibct and was inuch astonished to find a sweet, simple, happy people who clicl not indulge in or know what quarreling was. Especially was lic astonished at this since polyandry flourishes there among the lowclass people. l'olyandry is a subject on which diffcr. t'llt writers live riskce their opinions without knowing the facts. It is true that among the non-Aryan hilltribes this custom las cxisted for centuries and the Ilindu rulers did not intcrícrc with them. They relied not on forcing their vicws upon a people but on educating thicin to it. The hill tribes who follow thic custom ol polyandry arc isolated communities and socially have no connection with the Hindus. The trans-Himalayan tribes, too, follow this custom which lias existed among them for a long time.
In Ladak, anong the low-class pcoplc, cach woman bas from three to five husbands and that in the most legitimate manner in the world. It is the custom, when a man marrics a woman she becomes the legal wife of all his brothers. If thicre is but one son in the family hic usually marries into a family where there are already two or three husbands, and never but one wife. The clays of cach luusband arc fixail in advance and each acquits himself of his duties promptly in the most agrecable manner. The men are not long-lived or so robust as the women).
This practice cxistcd long beforc Buddhism was introduced into that country, which rcligion is gradually liprooting the practice which is scarcely sanctioned among the more intelligent or better classes. Froni the description given by M. Notovitch it is evident that

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. like utlicr foreign travelers he has forined luis opinions of the people from those with whom he came in contact. I know full well how difficult it is for a foreigner to get access to the better classes of Oriental society; in very rare instances, where onc lias influence with a native of high standing, has he the opportunity to scc or know the better side,
We will Icnyc polyandry and follow our traveler in his journcy. From Karghil he went to thic village of Surghol, twenty miles from the former and standing on the banks of the Wakha Near it are to be seen masses of rocks forming long broad ralls, upon which harc been thrown, in apparent disorder, flat stones of various colors and sizes, on which are engraved all sorts of prayers in Urdu, Sanskrit and Thibctan characters.
Leaving Surghol with fresli liorses, M. Notovitch made the next halt at the village of Wakha. Upon an isolated rock overlooking the village, stands thic cuirvent or Moulbck. With his interpreter and the negro servant lic proceeded to this convent; they climbed the narrow steps, carved in the solid rock, on which were placed littlc prayer-wheels, which are little drumlike shapes covered round the silles with Icather and fitted vertically in niclies cut in the rock. spindle running through the center enables them to revolve at the slightest 10uch or breeze; there are usually several or tlıcse wliccly in a row, larger ones are placci separatc, all are decorated on the lcather bands with the mystic sentence-"Om mani padme hum," i. c. Om, the jewel in the lotus, amen!
On the top lc was grected by a Lama, attired in the usual monk's robe of yellow, with a cap of the same matcrial, carrying in his right hand a prayer-whcel macle of copper, which he twirler from time to time with his left hand, witliout interrupting the conversa

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. lion. Thic Lama conducted the visitor through long, low rooms and halls into an open tcrrace, where as soon as they were scatcd attcndants brought refreshmients.
The Thibetan language is spoken here. It is only in the monasteries that the Thibetan is spoken in its purity.
The Lamas prefer visits from Europeans to those froin Mahomedans. The reason of this preference is, as the Lama said:
"The Mahomedans have no point of contact with our rcligion; in their recent victorious campaign they converted by lorce many Buddhists to Islamism; it will require great efforts to bring back these descendants of Buddhists into the way of the truc God. As for thic Europeans, it is an entirely different inatter. Not only clo they prosess the essential principles of monotlicism, but thcy also are a part of the worshipers of Buddha under almost the saine title as the Thibetan Lamas. Thic only error of the Christians is that after having adopted the great doctrine of Buddha, thcy coinpletely separated themselves from him and created a diffcrent Dalai Lama. Ours alone has received the divine favor of seeing face to face the inajesty of Buddha and the power to serve as meditator betwcen the earth and the hcaven."
"Who is this Dalai Lama of the Christians, of whom you have just spoken?" asked M. Notovitch to the Lama. "We have a Son of God to whom we address our fervent prayors, and it is to him that we have recourse so that he may intercede for us to our only and indivisible God."
"He is not the one in question herc, Sahib. Wc also respect liilll wlion you recognize as the Son of an only God, but we do not regard him as such bit as the

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 45 excellent being chosen from among all; Budala. in truth, incarnated himself with his intelligence in the sacred person of Issa, who without the aid of either firc or sword went forth to spread our grand and true rcligion throughout the world. I allude to your carthly Dalai Lama--to whom you give the title of the Father of the Church. There lies the great sin: Is hc able to save the sinners who are on the wrong road?" began the Lama twirling his prayer-wheel. Of course, he alluded to the Pope.
"You liave just told me that a son of Buddha, Issa, had been chosen to spread your rcligion over tlic world, Who then is lic?" asked. M. Notovitch.
The Lama was amazed at the question but said in rcply: “Issa is a great prophct, onc of the first altcr thic twenty-two Buddhas; hc is greater than all the Dalai I amas, for hc constitutes a part of the spirituality of God. It is lic who has instructed you, who brings back the frivolous souls to the knowledge of God, who las rendered you worthy of thic bicssings of the Creator, and who has enelowed cach being with thic knowledge of good and evil; luis name and decds have been rccorded in our sacred writings, and, while reading of his great lisc spent in the midst of crring people, wc wcep over the horrible sin of those lıcathens who assassinated him after putting him to the most cruc tortures."
M. Notovitch was struck by the words of the Lama the prophict Issa, his tortures, his cieatlı, the Christian Dalai Lama and the recognition of Christianity by the Buddhists all this made him think more and more of Jesus Christ: and lic begged luis interpreter to omil none of the words of the Lama. lle asked the Lama where thosc sacred writings could be found and who had written Trel.
" The principal rolls," said the Lama, " which have

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40
THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. been compilce in India and Nepal all different times actording to the course of events, are to be found at Lassa and number several thousands. In some of the larger convents there are copics made by the Lamas at different times during their sojourn at Lassa and presented to thcir convents in remembrance of their sojourn with the great master, our Dalai Lama."
“ Do you not possess any of these copies relating to the prophct Issa?"
"No, we have none of thein. Our convent is rather unimportant and since its foundation our successive Lamas havc only collected a few liundred works for their own use. The great cloisters possess thousands of them but thcy arc sacred things and they will not show them to you."
They conversed together a little longer, after which M. Notovitch retired to the camp, reflecting deeply on ill the words of the lama. Issa, the prophet of the Budellists! But low coukl that be? Being of the Jewish origin he lived in Palestine and Egypt, and the Scriptures contain not a word, not the slightest allusion to the role which Buddhism must have played in the cducation of Jesus.
He decided to visit all the convents of Thibet, hop. ing to gather more ample information concerning the proplict Issa, and perhaps find copies of the documents in question.
Our traveler continued his journcy; crossing the pass of Namikula, 13.000 (cet high. Ile arrived at the village or lamierou wlicrc lic put up at an inn just tinder the windows of a convent, whicre lie was immcdiately visited by several monks who plied him with many questions as to the route he ciume by, the olject of his jutricy, etc., etc.
Limicroo, as the name would imply, was the head

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF ;ESUS CHRIST. 47 quarters for the Lamas and their religion for many years. Upon the extreme top ledge of a precipice of concrete stone stands the old monastery, curious enough in its construction of stone, overlooking the village some hundred (cet below, the houses being perched on pinnacles of rock and scattered about here and thcrc. The illustration (p. 105) represents a cluster of monument-like buildings which line the path and are dotted about in groups of from three to twelve or fourteen together. They stand about seven feet high and are, as the inhabitants of the village claim, erected over the defunct Lamas and other saints ol the Buddhist relig. ion, aster which they become sacred in the eyes of the faithful, who refer to thein with bowings and scrapings and "Om mani padme huns" innumerablc.*
After some conversation, the monks invited M. Notovitch to visit the convent, which invitation he at oncc accepted and followed them up the steep passages cut in the solid rock, wliich was thickly studded with prayer-wheels that are set twirling by the slighest touch, which is unavoidable in ascending the narrow passage.
He was conducted to a room, the walls of whichi were adorned with books, prayer-wheels and numerous statues of Buddha. He inquired about the manuscript relating to Issa, of which he had heard from the Lama of thc Moulbek monastery. The monks hicrc also demicd liaving any of the rolls in thcir possession; one monk, however, acknowleiiged tliat lic had seen many copies of the manuscript in a convent ncar Leli, where he had spent many years previous to his appointment to Lamicroo; but the visitor was unable to induce the monik to mention the name of the convent whicrc the rolls were kept, and further questioning only provoked 5035picion.
*"The Diary of at ledestrian,"

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TIIE UNKNOWN 1,1FE OF JESUS CHRIST.
Europeus have not yet understood thic reason why Die inonks and other custodians of the sacred literature of the East have been unwilling to give full information about manuscripts, although they would gladly explain the significance of other sacred objects; nor did M. Notovitchi comprehend the reason for the refusal of the monks of Lamieroo to give him the desired information of the rolls relating to Jesus Christ.
In India, also, the European scholars and professors mect with the saine difficulties. Dr. Peterson, Professor of Oricntal Languages, inct with similar cxpcricncc. There is a famous library of Jain manuscripts at Cambay, India. Dr. Peterson, in 1885, dcsiring to examine the manuscripts, macle application to thic custodians of the library, but was met with the most positive denial of the existence of any such library. l'rosessor Roth, of Tubingen, wanted to know if thcre was a manuscript of the Atharva Veda in the Brahmin Library of Gwalior, but lie was able to obtain any information, although the political officer of that part of the country used his influence to put him in possession of a copy of the book. Dr. Bhandarkar, of the Deccan College, Poona, succeeded in cxamining only a few manuscripts of the Jain Libraries of Patan, and that only through the influence of the ruling prince, H. H. the Gaikwar of Baroda. Drs. Bubler and Kielhorn, of Vienna and Leipsic, are under thic fond impression that they have cxaminced the whole collection of the Jain inanuscripts at Jesalmer. But I know as a fact that the most important collection has never been shown to any forcigncr. Europcans, as I said, have not been able to understand the reason why they are met with opposing obstacles in the search of ancient manuscripts. To me, iowever, in my official capacity as the Secretary of the Jain Association of India, the reason is simple enough. In the

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 49 first place, the Mahoinedan invadors of India burned our scraced manuscripts by hundreds and thousands; and, secondly, the first Christian missionaries who visited India possessed themselves of some of these manuscripts simply with a view to deride and belittle them, as it appears even in these days froin the mass of rubbish which they have published in India on the religions of the people of that country. The Hindus and Jains, therefore, have always shown reluctance to part with their manuscripts.
Thibet, and cspccially Ladak, has had the same cxpericncc. A former ruler of Thibct, Langdar, otherwisc callcd Langdharma, had tried to abolish the Buddhist cloctrinc in 900 A.C. lic had commanded all temples and monasteries to be clomolislice, tlic imaages to be clestroyed and the sacred books to be burnt. So intense was the indignation cxcited by these acts of sacrilege that he was murdered in the same year. In the sixteenth century, the historical books concerning Ladak were destroyed by the fanatical Maliomcdans of Skardo who invaded the country, burned the monasteries, temples and religious monuments, and threw the contents of various libraries into the river Indus. Is it astonishing then that the Lama of the Lannieroo monastery should look with suspicions on the minute questioning of M. Notovitch?
From Lamicroo, M. Notovitch (lirected his attention towards Lch with the avowed determination of securing the manuscripts in question or go to Lassa. He therefore journeyed onward over difficult gorges, dangerous mountain passcs, and through pleasant valleys, passing the celebrated fortress of Khalsi, dating from the time of the Malonicdan invasion, this being the only road leading from Kasluir to Thibet.
In crossing the valley Saspula and near the village

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS. CHRIST. of thc samc name, onc sccs two convents, on one of which our traveler was surprised to see foating a French Aag, a present, he afterward learned, from a French engineer and used by the monks simply as a decoration.
M. Notovitch spent the night at thic village and visited these contents where the monks took great dclight in showing their visitor their books, rolis, images of Buddha, and the prayer-whecis, cxplaining politely and patiently all thc sacred objects. Here, also, M. Notovitch received the same answers in reply to his inquiries, i.c., that the great monastcrics alone possessed copics relating to the prophct Issa.
From hcrc the traveler hastened on towards Leh, with no other object now than to secure a copy of the Buddhist records of the life of Jesus, which might perlaps, he thought, show the inner life of the best of men ind completc thc details so indistinct 'which the Scriptures give us about him.
On his arrival at Lch, M. Notovitch put up at the bungalow, specially built for Europcans who come over thic Indian route in the hunting season.
Lch, the capital of Ladak, is a small town of five thousand inhabitants. It is built on pinnacles of rock. liron a clistance it has an imposing appearance which it owes entirely to the palace, built on a slight eminence, possessing in front of two hundred and fifty fect, and which is sereistorics high. Iligh above it, on the summit olil rocky mountain, is a monastery with its painted battlements and flags. In thic centre of thic town is a squarc, or market placc, where merchants of India, China, Turkistan, Kastmir and Thibct, come to exchange their products for Thibctan gold.
The governor of Ladak, Vizier Surajbal, who has taken his lcgrce as Doctor of Philosopliy in London, resides in il vast two-storicd building in the centre of

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 51 the town. In honor of the foreign visitor he organized a polo game in the square, ending in the evening with dances and games in front of his terrace.
The following day M. Notovitch visited the famous Himis monastery, about twenty miles from Lel, situated on a high rock in the midst of the vallcy, overlooking the river Indus. Himis is one of the principal monasteries of the country and contains a vast library of sacred works.
The entrance door is about six feet high, with stcps leading up to it. The large massive doors painted with bright colors open into a court paved with pebbles. Inside is the principal temple containing a large statue of Buddha and other smaller statues. On the left is a veranda with an immense prayer-whecl on it; on the right there is a row of rooms for monks, all adorned with sacred paintings and small-prayer whiccls.
Thc windows of the mpper story, looking outwarı, havc no pancs of glass, but are closed by black curtains, upon which are sewn figures of a Latin cross, formed of white strips of cloth. The cross in different forms has been recognized as a mystic symbol by all ancient nations.
At the moment of his arrival M. Notovitch found all the Lamas of the convent, with their Laina-in-chief, formed in a circle around the great prayer-wheel. Underncath the veranda scvcral musicians licke drurus and long trumpets. The whole company was anxiously awaiting in silence the commencement of a great religious niystcry which was about to be presented. It is called a religious drama.
On certain days of the year religious dramas arc performed by the Lamas, who call them Tambin Shi, "the bliss of instruction." Sometimes these dramas are performed by thicm in honor of distinguished visit

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TIF UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. ors to their convenit. Masked actors are introduced, who represent fantastically the various states of existcnce--spirits, men, animals, ctc. This festival, with its singing, music and dancing, lasted for several hours. At the end, thic Lama-in-chicf invited the visitor to accompany him to the principal tcrracc, wlicre they drank the chang of the festival (a kind of tastclcss bcer).
Regarding this religious festival, thc Lana cxplained to the visitor that there was a religious side to all this thicatrical performancc which cxpressed to thic initiate the fundamncntal principles of Buddhism, and was a practical means for maintaining the ignorant in obcdicncc and love to the only Crcator, just as a child is submissive to its parent by a playthings. Thiesc monasteries have several such festivals in a year, where the particulars are arranged by the Lamas to represent mystcrics which have a grcat analogy to the pantomimes, where cach actor cxccutes almost all the movemients and gestures he plcascs in conforming himself to a principal idca. The mysteries of these pantomines are nothing but a representation of the gods enjoying a general veneration-veneration which as a reward ought to give to man thc happiness of conscience with which the idea of incvitabic death and that of future life fill him.
Seizing upon the first moment which presented to broach the subject, M. Notovitch told the Lama that in il recent visit which liebad made to a Gonpa*, one of the Lamas had spoken of a prophct Issa, and asked for further information.
The Lama rcplicd: “ The name of Issa is much respected among Buddhists, but lic is scarcely known except among thic chief Lamas, who have read the rolls relating to his life. There is illi infinite number of
* Gonpa is a Thibetan name for a monestery.

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
Buddhas, similar to Issa, and the eighty-four thousand rolls which exist abound in details about each of them; but very few people have read a hundredth part of them. In order to conform to the established custom, cach pupil or Lama who has visited Lassa does not fail to make a present of one or more of these copics to the convent to which he belongs. Our monastery possesses a great number of these, and among them are descriptions of the life and works of Buddha Issa, who preached the holy doctrines in India and among the sons of Israel, and who was put to death by the heathen whose descendants adopted the beliefs which he advocated, and these beliefs are yours. The great Buddha, the soul of the universe, is the incarnation of Brahma, He remains motionless most of the time, enclosing within himself all things since the origin of beings, and his breath gives life to the world. He has left man to his own will; at certain times, however, he throws off his inaction and invests himself with a human form in order to try and save his creatures from irremediable destruction. In the course of his terrestrial existence, Buddha creates a new world among the misled people; then he disappears again from the earth to become once more an invisible being, and return to his life of perfect felicity. Three thousand years ago the great Buddha incarnated himself into the celebrated Prince Shakya Muni, upholding and spreading abroad the doctrines of his twenty incarnations. Two thousand five hundred years ago the great soul of the world incarnated itself again in Gautama, casting the foundation of a new world in Burma, in Siam and in different islands. Soon afterwards Buddhism commenced to penetrate in China, thanks to the perseverance of the wise men who devoted themselves to propagate the holy doctrine, and under Ming-Ti, of the dynasty of Honi, about 2,050 B. C., the

53

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54
TILE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CITRIST. (loctrines of Shakya Muni received the adoption of the people. Simultancously with the ppcarancc of Budllisen in China, the cloctrinc comincuced to sprcad itsell among the Israelites. About 2,000 years ago the l'erfect Being, still remaining in a statc of inaction, incarmited himself in a new-born babc of a poor family Ho willc. that infant lips, by employing popular images, might enlighten the unfortunate people on the lise bcyond the grave, and might bring back men to the truc path, by indicating to them by his own example the way which would best lead them to the original moral purity. \Vhen the holy child had reached a certain agc he was taken to India, where, until he became a man, he studied all the laws of the great Buddha,, whose everlasting chwelling is in licaven.'
"The rolls brought from India to Nepal and from Nepal to Thibet, relating to the life of Issa, are written in the lali language, and these are to be found at Lassa, but a copy in our language (Thibetan] exists here. The masses arc; however, ignorant of Issa; there is scarcely any one but the great Lamas who know of him, because they have spent their entire lives studying these rolls which relate to Issa. But as his doctrine does not constitute a cannonical part of Buddhism, and as the worshipers of Issa (Christians] do not recognize the authority of the Dalai Lama, in Thibct the proplict Issa is, liko many of his kind, not recognized as one of their principal saints."
licre M. Notovitch inquired whether the act would be sinful, should he recite these copies to a stranger; the Lama replied: "That which belongs to God belongs also to men; duty obliges us to lielp with good grace the propogation of his doctrines; only, I have no knowledge of where in our libraries thesc rolls are to be found; if you ever visit our Gonpa again it will be a

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TUE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CIIRIST. 55 pleasure to me to show then to you." Whicrcupon thic Lama arose, saying that he was wantcal for the sacrifices and asked kindly to be excused, and saluting the visitor, disappeared through the doorway.
There was nothing left for the somewhat disappointcd traveler to do, but return to Lch and think out a plan which would furnislı an excuse for returning to the convent. Two «ays later, he sent to the chicf Lama a present consisting of an alarm-clock and a thermometer, with a message that he would probably pay a second visit to the convent before Icaving Ladak and hoped that the Lama would favor him by showing him the rolls which had been the subject of their last conversation. M. Notovitch had formed the plan of leaving for Kashmir and again returning to Himis in order to allay any suspicion which might arise regarding his persistent inquiries concerning those rolls of the life of Issa. But fato decided the matter in his favor, for in passing along the mojintain side, on the top of which stands the Gompa of Pittak, his horse stumbled, by which our traveler was thrown to the ground and his leg broken. Not desiring to return to Leh, he ordered his porters to carry him to tlic Himnis monastery, where he was received and kindly cared for.
M. Notovitch says: "In the morning I bandaged my log with small oblong sticks which I tied together with a cord. I tried to make no superfluous movements; a favorable result was soon apparent; two days afterwards I was in a condition to leave the Gonpa and to undertake a slow journey towards India to find it doctor.
" While a young boy kept twirling all the time thic prayer-wheel which was near my bed, thc vcncrablc old man who superintended llic Gonp: entertained me with interesting stories; he often drew from their cases my

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50 THE UNKNOWN LIFE MJ: JESUS CHRIST. tlarni-clock ind my watch asking me how to wind them up and what their use was. Acceding finally to my urgent requests he brought me two large bound books whose large leaves of paper had become yellow by lime; hic then read tu me the biograply of Issil which I wrote dowi carefully in my note-book according to the translation which my intcrprcter made for me. This curious document is written in the form of isolated verses which very often have no connection with one another.
“The third day iny lıcalth was so much improved that it allowed me to continuc my journcy. After having dressed my leg I turned back crossing Kashmir on my way to India. * * * * I have long since de. sired to publish the life of Jesus Christ which I found at Ilinis and of which I llavc spoken abovc; but all kinds of business have completely taken up my tinic. It is only to-day after having spent long restless nights in arranging my notes, after having suitably grouped the verses in accordance with the narrative and iinpressed upon the whole the character of unity, that I resolved to publish THIS curious copy."

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HARI PARVAT. See page 41.
CAXIA
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THE LIFE OF SAINT ISSA. TEE BEST OF THE SONS OR MEN,
1.
The carth trembled and the heavens wept because of the great crime just committed in the land of Israel.
- 2For they have just finished torturing and executing there the great, just Issa in whom dwelt the soul of the universe,
Whio incarnated himself in it simple mortal in order to do good to men and to exterminate evil thoughts
And in order to bring back man degraded by sins to a life of peace, love and good, and to recall him to the only and indivisible Creator, whose mercy is infinitc and boundless.
This is what the merchants, who came from Israel, relate on the subject.
II.
The people of Israel lived on a very fertile land, yielding two harvests a ycar, and possessed large flocks; they excited by their sins the wrath of God,

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 59
2-. Who inflicted on them a terrible punishment, taking ilway their land, their flocks and their possessions. Israel was reduced to slavery by the powerful and rich Pharaohs who then reigned in Egypt.
The latter had made slaves of the Israclitcs and treated them worse than bcasts, overloading them with heavy and difficult work and putting them in irons and covering their bodies with wounds and scars, denying them sufficient food and shelter.
---4.-.. This was in order to keep them in a state of continual fcar and deprive them of all rescinblance to human beings;
And in this great calamity the people of Israel, remembering their heavenly Protector, prayed and iinplored His grace and pity.
An illustrious Pharaoli reigned in Egypt at this time who rendered himself famous by his numcrous victories and riches which lie had accumulated and the large palaces which his slaves had erected with their own hands.
---7--- This Pharaoh had two sons, the younger of whom was called Mossa; the wisc mcn of Israel taught him different scicnccs.
--8And they loved Mossa in Egypt for his kindness and for the compassion which he showed to all those who suffered.
Sceing that the Israclites would not, in spite of the

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60
THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
intolerable sufferings which they endured, abandon their God to worship those which the hand of man had made and which were the gods of the Egyptians,
-10---
Mossa believed in their invisible God who did not allow their weakened forces to fail,
-11
And the Israelite teachers excited the ardor of Mossa and implored him to intercede with Pharaoh his father, in favor of his co-religionists.
-12
The Prince Mossa applied to his father imploring him to ameliorate the fate of the unfortunate people, but Pharaoh was enraged against him and only increased the torments of his slaves.
-13---
Shortly afterwards, a great misfortune visited Egypt; the plague cut down the young and the old, the sick and the well, Pharaoh believed that his own gods were angry with him;
-
14
But Prince Mossa told his father that it was the God of the slaves who was interceding in favor of the unfortunates and was punishing the Egyptians;
-15---
Pharaoh then ordered Mossa to take all the slaves of the Jewish race and lead them out of the city, and to found at a great distance from the capital another city and there to live with them.
-16
----
Mossa told the Hebrew slaves that he had freed them in the name of his God, the God of Israel; he departed with them from the city and from the land of Egypt.

17He led them into the land which they had formerly

-

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THE UNKNOWN SITE OM JESUS CHRIST.
lost by their many sins; he gave them laws and advised them always to pray to the invisible Creator whose kindness is infinite.
-18-- After the death of the Prince Mossa the Israelites observed his laws rigorously: God too recompensel them for the evils to which they had been subjected in Egypt.
19Their kingdom became the most powerful in all the world, their kings becamc illustrious on account of their treasures and peace reigncd long ainong the people of Israel.
III.
--1
The fame of the riches of Israel was spread throughout the earth and the neighboring nations envied them.
-
2
But God led the victorious armies of the Hebrew's and the heathen dared not attack them.
-3Unfortunately, man docs not always obey his own better self, so thc ficlclity of thic Israelitics to their God did not long endure.
They soon forgot all the favors which He had heaped upon them, and rarely invoked His name, but begged protection of the magicians and sorcerers;
--5-- The kings and captains subinitted their own laws for those that Moses had lost to them; the temples ol God and the customs of worship were abandoned, and

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02 TILE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. the people gave themselves up to pleasures and lost tlieir original purity.
Several centuries had clapsed since their departure from Egypt, when God again thought of inflicting pun. ishument on them.
.-7-. Strangers begin to invade ilic country of Israel, clevastating the land, ruining the villages and forcing the inhabitants into captivity.
-8
Jlcathicus at one time came from beyond the scas from the country of Romulus; they subducd the Hebrcws and appointed commanders of the army who govcrcncd tliem under the orders of Cæsar.
They destroyed the temples, compelling the people tu sacrifice victims to the hıcathen gods instead of Worshiping the invisible God.
-10-. Warriors were made of the nobles, the women were torn from their husbands; the lower class of the people, reduced to slavery, were sent by thousands across the sca.
As to the children tlicy were killed by the sword, ind throughout the whole country of Israel nothing but wecping and groaning was hicard.
--- 1 2.--. in their sore distress the people remembered again their great God; they implored His mcrcy and prayed Ilim to forgive them. Our Father in His inexhaustible kindluess listened to their :ppeal.

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE UF JESUS CHRIST.
-
63
IV.
The time had now come when the merciful Judge had chosen to incarpate Himself in a human being.
— 2And the Eternal Spirit who remained in a condition of complete inaction and of supremc bcatitude, aroused and detached Himscif for an indefinite time from the Eternal Bcing,
In order to show, by assuming the human form, the mcans of identifying one's self with divinity and attaining eternal felicity;
--4And to show by His example how we may attain moral purity and separate the soul from its material envelope so that it may reach the perfection nccessary to pass into the Kingdom of Heaven, which is unchangeable and where eternal happiness reigns.
--5Soon after, a wonderful child was born in the land of Isracl; God Himself spoke by the mouth of this child of the insignificance of body, and the grandeur of soul.
The parents of this child were poor people. belonging by birth to a family distinguished for their picty, who had forgotten their ancient grandeur on earth, in cclcbrating the name of tlic Creator and thanking Ilim for the misfortunes with which He was pleased to try them.
To reward this family for remaining firm in the path of truth, God blessed their first-born child and clccted him to go forth and uplift thiosc that had fallen in cvil and to cure those that were suffering.

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TIIE UNKNOWN LIFE OM JESUS CHRIST.
8"The divine child, to whom they gave the name of Issa, began to spcak, while yet a child, of the one indi. visible God, exhorting the crring souls to repent and to purisy theniscives from thosc sins, of which thcy were guilty.
Peoplc carlic froin all parts to listen to him and thcy marvelled at the words of wisdom which issued from his childish mouth; all the Israelitcs' affirmed that in this child dwelt the Eternal Spirit.
-10When Issa reaclicd the age of thirteen years, the time when an Israelite should take a wife,
---11-- The house where his parents cirned a livelihood by means of nuclest labor, began to be it place of meeting for the rich and noble people wlio desired to liave thic young Issa for a son-in-law, who was alrcady wellknown by his cdifying discourses in the name of AllPowerful;
---12It was then that Issa disappeared secretly from his father's house, Icft Jerusalemn, and with a caravan of merchants, went toward Sind)),
-13With loe pollrpose of perfecting himself in tlic divinc knowledge and of studying the laws of the great Buddhas.
V.
-- -- Tn the course of his fourteenth year, the young

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TIF SEVEXTH BRIDGE OF SHRIYAGAR.-See page 40.

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66
THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
Issa, blessed of God, crossed the Sindh and established himself among the Aryas, in the cherished country of God.
---2--.
The fame of this wonderful youth spread throughout Northern Sindh; when he crossed the country of. the five rivers and Rajputana, the worshippers of the Jaina God implored him to dwell with them.
--3
But he left them and went to Jagannath, in the country of Orissa, where lie the mortal remains of Vyasa-Krishna. Here the white priests of Brahma rcceived him joyfully.
-4
They taught him to read and understand the Vedas, to cure with the aid of prayers, to teach and explain the holy scriptures to the people, to drive away the evil spirit from the body of man, and to restore to him the human form.
--5-
He spent six years in Jagannath, Rajagriha, Benares and other holy cities. Every one loved Issa, for he lived in peace with the Vaishyas and Shudras, to whom he taught the holy scripture.
-6
But the Brahmins and Kshatriyas said to him that the great Para-Bratıma had forbidden them to approach those whom he had created from his belly and from his feet;
--7
That the Vaishyas were authorized to hear the reading of the Vedas only on the festival days,
--8
That the Shudras were not only forbidden to attend the reading of the Vedas, but even to look at them; for

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 67 their condition was to serve forever as slaves to the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas and even the Vaishyas;
"Dcath alone can free them from their scrvitude," Para-Brahma has said: "Leave them, therefore, and come and worship with us the gods that will be angry with you if you disobey them."
---10-- But Issa did not heed their words, and went among the Shudras to preach against the Brahmins and the Kshatriyas.
IIHe strongly denounced the doctrine that gives to men the power of robbing their fellow-men of their human rights; in truth, he said: "God the Father has cstablished no difference between his children, who are all cqually dear to him."
- 12-- Issa denied the diyine origin of the Vedas and the Puranas, for he taught his followers that one law had been given to man to guide him in his actions:
--13-- " Fear thy God, bond thy knce only before Him, and bring to Him alone thy offerings which come from thy labors."
---14Issa dcnicd the Trimurti and the incarnation of l'ara-Brahma in Vishnu, Shiva and other gods; for hc said:
---15-- “The Eternal fudge, the Eternal Spirit composes the one individual soul of the universe, which alone crcates, contains and vivifics the wholc."
-16-- "It is He alone who has willed and created, who

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68 THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHTIST. cxists from cternity, whose existence will have no end; there is none equal to Him cither in heaven or on earth."
--17"Tie firent Creator has sliared flis power with no one, still less with inanimate objects, as they have taught you, for He alone possesses all power,”
18"He willed and the world appeared; by one divine thought He united the waters and separated from them the dry part of the globe. He is the cause of the mystcrious life of man, into whom Ile has urcathed a part of His own."
.-19"lle has subordinated to man the land, the water, the beasts and all that He has created, and which llc Himself preserves in an unchangeablc order by fixing the proper duration of each."
20“The anger of God will soon fall on man, for he has forgotten his Creator; he has filled His temples with abominations, and he adores numerous crcatures which God has suburdinated to him."
--21" For, in order to please stones and metals, he sacrifices human beings, in whom dwells a part of the spirit of God."
-22
" For lic humiliates those who tuil by the sweat of tlicir brow to gain tlic lavor of the idle, who sit at sumptuously furnislıcıl tables,"
---23 .. “Those wlio deprive their brothers of the divine gift shall be deprived of it themselves, and the Brahmins and thic Kshatriyas will become Shudras of the Shudras, with whom the Eternal will dwell forever."

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TIIE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 69
-24" Because on the day of the last Judgment, tlic Shu. uras and thic Vaishyas shall be pardoned on account of their ignorance; on the other hand, God will pour His wrath upon those who have arrogated His rights."
---25" The Vaishyas and the Shudras greatly admired these words of Issa, and begged him to teach them how to pray, so that they might secure their happiness."
--26 He said to them: "Do not worship idols, for they clo not hcar you; do not listen to the Vedas, in which the truth is perverted; do not believe yourselves superior to others cvcrywhere; do not humiliate your ncighbor."
---27
"Help the poor, sustain the feeble; do no evil to anyonc: do not covet wbat others possess and you do
not."
VI.
The white priests and the warriors having Icarnt of the discourse which Issa had addressed to the Shudras, determined upon his death, and with this intention sont their servants to search for the young prophct.
---2But Issa, warned of the danger by the Shudras, left Jagannath by night, rcached thc mountains, and established himself in the country of the Gautamides, where the great Buddha Shakya-Muni was born, amidst the people who worshiped the one and only sublime Brahma

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THE UNKNOWN LIFF OF JESUS CHRIST.
Having learned perfectly thc Pali language, the just Issa devoted himself to the study of the sacred rolls of the Sutras.
Six years afterwards, Issa, whom the Buddha hac chosen to spread the holy doctrinc, was able to cxplain perfectly the sacred rolls.
Then he left Nepal and the Himalaya mountains, desccuded into clic valicy ul Rajputana and journeyed toward the west, preaching to various pcoplcs thc possibility of man's attaining the supreme perfection,
And the good which each one should do to his neighbor, which is the surest means of being quickly absorbed into the Eternal Spirit; "he who had recovcred his primitive purity," Issa said, "would die having obtained pardon for his sins, and the right to contemplate the majestic figure of God."
-7In traversing the heathen territories the divine Issa taught that the worship of visible gods was contrary to natural law.
--
8---
"For man," he said, "has not been favored with the power to see the image of God and to construct a host of divinities resembling the Eternal One."
" Besides, it is incompatible with the human conscience to esteemn the grandeur of divine purity less than animals or works executed by the hand of man in stone or metal."
---10"The Eternal Legislator is one infinite; there are

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71
THE UNKXOUX LIFE OF JESUS CIIRIST. no other gods but Him, He has not shared the world with anyonc, nor has He informed anyone of His intentions."
“Just as a father would act toward his children, so shall God judge men after their dcath according to llis incrciful laus; never will. lle lumiliatc lis child buy making his soul migrate into the body of a beast as in purgatory."
-12– " Tbc celestial law," said the Creator through the mouth of Issa, "scorns thc immolation of human being's to a statue or to an animal, for I have dedicated to the use of man all animals and all that the world contains."
-13"All has been given to man who is thus directly and intimately bound to me his Father; he who has taken away my child will be severely judged and chastised by the divine law."
--14“To the Eternal Judge man is mil, just as an animal is to a man."
-15"Therefore I say unto you, leave your idols, do 1100 perform ceremonies that scparate you from your Father, and link and bind you to priests against whom Heaven is turned."
-16"For it is they who have led you astray from the true God and whose superstitions and cruelty are leading you to the perversion of spirit and to the loss of all moral sense."

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
VII.
The words of Issa were spread abroad among the heathen in the countries through which he traveled and the people abandoned their idols.
Seeing this the pricsts demanded froin him who glorificd the name of the truc Gucl, proofs of the reproaches that lie had hicaped upon them and the cicnionstration of the powerlessness of tlicir idols, in the presence of thc pcoplc.
And Issa replied to them: "If your idols and animals are powerful and rcaliy possess a supernatural power, let them annihilate me on the spot."
---4" Perform a niracle," the priests answered him, "and let thy God confound ours if they inspire him with disgust."
But Issa answered: "The miracles of our God began with the creation of the universe, thicy take place 10w every day, every moment, and whosoever docs not see them is deprived of one of the most bcautiful girls of life."
"And it is not upon picccs of inanimate stone or metal or wood that the anger or God will fall, but it will fall upon men, who must for thcir own safety destroy all the idols which they have made;"
--7"Just as it stone and grain of sand which are as nothing before mcn, wait with resignation the time when hic will utilize and make of them somcthing useful and beautiful,"

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TUIE UNKNOWN LIFE. OF JESUS CHRIST.
" Just so man must wait for the great favor which God will accord-him in honoring him with a decision."
" But alas for you, opponents of men! if it is not the favor but the wrath of Divinity that you await; Woc unto you if you wait for llim to show Ilis power by miracics!"
-10"For it is not the idols which llc shall destroy in His wrath, but those who have crected them; their hearts shall be a prey to an eternal firc and their lacerated bodics will be given to satisfy the appetite of wild leasts,"
"God will expel the contaminated animals from Ilis flocks but He will take back to Himself those who were misled by having misunderstood thc celestial spark which dwelt in them."
-12Sceing the powerlessness of their priests these peoplc belicvcd in the teachings of Issa and adopted his faith and in fear of the anger of the Divinity broke their idols in picces; secing this the priests Aed to escape the popular vengeance.
-13And Issa taught the heathen not to try to see the Eternal Spirit with their own eyes, but rather to feel it with their hcart and by a soul truly pure render themselves worthy of His favors,
-14He said to them: "Not only inust. you desist from making huinan sacrifices, but in general from sacrificing any animal to which life has been given, for all that has been crcated is for the benefit of man."

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
75
"Steal not the property of another, for this would be taking away from your neighbor the things which he has acquired by the sweat of his brow."
-16" Deceive not any one, thus you shall not be deceived yourselves; try to justify yourselves before the last judgment, for then it will be too late."
.-17~Do not give yourselves up to debauchery, for that is violating the laws of God."
-18"Supreme happiness shall be attained not only by purifying yourselves, but also by guiding others in the way which will achieve for them the primitive perfection."
VIII.
-
-
I---
The neighboring countries were filled with the renown of the teachings of Issa, and when he entered Persia the priests became alarmed and forbade the people to listen to him.
--2-- But when they saw all the villages grceting him with joy and piously listening to his sermons, they caused him to be arrested and brought before the high priest where he was submitted to the following questions.
"Of what new God dost thou teach? Dost thou not know, unfortunate one that thou art, that the holy Zoroaster is the only just man admitted to the honor of receiving communications from the Superme Being?"

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRI$T.
He has ordered the angels to record in writing the words of God for the use of his pcoplc—the laws that were given to Zoroaster in paradise."
"Wholhien art thou that carest to blaspheme our God ind sow doubt in the licarts of bclicvcrs?"
And Issa said unto them: “I do not speak of a new God, but of our licavenly Father wlio cxisted before the beginning and who will cxist after the eternal end."
-7"It is of Hin that I have taught the pcople, who like an innoccnt child cannot yet understand God by the only force of their intelligence and penetrate His divine and spiritual sublimity."
“But as a new-born child recognizes in the dark its inother's brcast, just so your people who liave bcen led in error by your erroneous doctrine and religious ceremonies have recognized instinctively their Father in the God, of whom I am the prophet."
"Thc Eternal Being says to your people through the mcdium of my mouth: You should not worship the sun for it is only a part of the world which I have created for man.'"
IO "The sun rises in order to warm you during your labors; it sets so as to give you rest which I have fixed.'"
--11--- "It is only to me and to me alone that you owe all that you possess, all that surrounds you, either above or below.'"

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THE UNKNOWN LIFT , VIESUS CHRIST. 77
---12“But," began the priests, "low could a pcoplc live according to the laws of justice, if they had no tcachers?"
-3Issa answered: "As long as the people had no pricsts, they were governed by natural laws and prescrved the candour of their souls."
-14"Their souls were in God and when they wanted to communicate with the l'ather they did not have recourse to the mediation of an idol, an animal or a firc as you practise here."
-15"You pretend that one must worship the sun, the spirit of good and of evil; well, I say to you that your doctrinc is detestible. The sun docs not act spontancously, but by the will of the invisible God who has created it,"
"And who has willed that this star should light the day and should warm the labor and the crops of man."
--17"Ilıc ctcrnal spirit is tlic soul of all that it aniinatcs, You commit a grcat sin in dividing llim into the spirit of evil and that of good, for there is no God cxcept that of good,"
.-18"Who like unto tlic fatlicr of a family docs only good to his children, whose faults lic forgives if thcy rcpent of them."
....19 "And thic ovil spirit wells upon the carth in tlic heart of those men who turn the children of God from the right path."

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-20
"Therefore I say unto you: Fear the judgement day for God will inflict a terrible punishment upon those who have forced His children to deviate from the truc light and who have filled them with superstition and prejudice,"
-21
"Upon those who have blinded the seeing, carried contagion to the strong, and taught the worship of those things which God has given to man for his own good and to aid him in his labors."
-22
"Your doctrine is therefore the fruit of your error, for in desiring to approach the God of truth you have created for yourselves false gods."
-23
After having listened to him the priests resolved to do no evil to him, but during the night while all in the city slept, they led him outside the walls and there left him to his fate upon the highway in the hope that he would soon become the prey of wild beasts.
--24
But protected by our God, Saint Issa continued his way unharmed.
IX.

-1
Issa, whom the Creator had chosen to bring back the true God to men plunged in sin, was twenty-nine years old when he arrived in the land of Israel.
-2-
Since the departure of Issa the heathen had caused the Israelites to endure still more atrocious sufferings, and they were now a prey to the greatest dispair.

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
79
Many among them had alrcady abandoned the laws of their God and those of Moses, hoping to soften their fierce conquerors.
- 4In the presence of this situation Issa cxhorted his countrymen not to dispair because the day of redcmption of sins was near, and he strengthened their belief in the God of their fathers.
"Children, do not give yourselves up to dispair,“ said the Heavenly Father by tlic mouth of Issa, " for I have heard your voice and your cries have reached even unto mc."
"Do not weep, O my beloved, for your cries have touched the heart of your Heavenly Father, and He has forgiven you as He forgave your ancestors."
“Do not forsake your family to plunge yourselves into iniquity, lose not the nobility of your feelings, and worship not idols which will remain deaf to your voice."
---- "Fill my temple with your hope and your paticnce and do not abjurc the religion of your fathers, for I alone have guided them and hicaped favors on them."
"You shall raise those who have fallen, you shall give food to those that are hungry, and you shall help the sick that you may be pure and just at the day of judgment which lan preparing for you."
--10-- The Israclitcs came in throngs to licar the words of Issa, and asked him where thcy should praisc thcir Hicavenly Father, since the enemy had rased their tem

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80
TIME UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. ples to the ground and lain profane hands on their sacred vessels.
-IIIssa answered them that God had no reference to temples built by the hand of man, but that He meant the hearts of men which are the true temples of God.
-12"Enter into your temple, into your heart, cnlighten it with good thouglits, with patience and with firm confidence which you should place in your Father."
-I3 "And your sacred vessels, thcsc are your heads and cyes; see and do that which is pleasing to God, for in doing good to your ncighbor you perform a ceremony which bcautifics the temple wiicre ile lives who has given you life.”
“For God has created you in His own image innocoul, witli the soul pure, the heart hlled with kindness, and not intended for the conccption of cvil schemes, but made to be the sanctuary of love and justice."
-15– "Do nol therclore dcfile your heart, I say unto you, for the Eternal Bcing dwells thicre always."
--16 "If you wish to accomplislı works of piety or love, llo them with an open licort and let not your action be governed by hope or gain or mercenary thoughts."
-17“ for thicsc actions will not bring you salvation and you will the fall into a state of moral degrcdation where lying, theft and assassination pass as generous deeds."

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.
10
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.
14
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.
.
.
14.
.
.
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1
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.
.
OS
-
ulur
rom
SU
.
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.
A
.
.
.
-
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.
.
The SHAKY Bridge or KASHMIR.-See page 41.

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82
THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
- --- Holy Issa went Irom one cily to another, confirm. ing with the word of God the courage of the Israelites who were ready to seccumb under the weight of despair, and thousands of men followed to hear his teachings.
But thc rulers of the citics fcared him and informed the principal Governor who dwelt at Jerusalem that it 11:n called Issa had arrived in tlic country, tliat by his sermons he was rousing the people against the autlioritics, that thic inuicitacle listened to him cagerly and neglected the works of the statc, stating that in a short time it would be rid of its ruling intruders,
--3-- Then Pilate, the governor of Jerusalem, ordered theni to scizc thc person of the preacher Issa, bring liim into the city and Icad bin before tlic jucgcs; but so as to not excitc discontent anong thc pcoplc, Pilato ordereel the priests and the wise mcn, aged Hebrews, to judge him in the temple.
Mcamwhile, Issa continuing his preaching came to Jcrusalemn; having learned of his arrival, all the inhabitints who knew him alreaciy by rcputation went to meet ind greet liin).
Thcy saluted him respectfully and opened the doors of their temple to him in order to hear from his lips what lie had said in tlic utlicr towns of Israel.
Mad Issa said unto tear: "The human race is perishing because of its lack of faith, for the darkness and the tempest have confused the Nuck of mankind and they have lost their shopherd."

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 83
-7“But the tempest will not last forever, the darkness will not hide the light forever, the heavens will soon become serene, the heavenly brightness will soon spread over the whole earth and the wandering flocks will gather themselves around their shepherd.”
- 8"Do not try to scck for the direct roads in darkness for fear of falling in a ditch, but gather together wur lost forces, aid each other, place all your confidence in your God and wait till the first light appears."
"He who aids his ncighbor aids himself and whoever protects his own family protects his pcoplc and his country."
-10"For be sure that the day is near when you will be delivered from darkness; you shall gather yourselves together in onc fainily and your enemy who ignores the favor of the great God shall tremble in fear."
The priests and the elders who listened to him, full of wonder.at his words, asked him if it was true that he had tried to arouse the people against the authorities of the country as had been reported to Governor Pilate.
-12-- "Can one risc against misled men to whom darkness has hidden the way and the door?" answered Issa. "I have only warned the unfortunate as I do here in this temple so that they may not advance further on dark roads, for an abyss is open at their feet."
-- 13"Earthly power is not of long duration and it is subject to many changes. It would be of 110 use for a man to revolt against it, for one power always succeeds

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
another and it will thus be until the cxlinction or humanity."
14--
"On the contrary do you not see that the powerful and the rich sow ainong the sons of Israel a spirit of rebellion against tlic ctcrnal power of Hcavcn?"
-15And tlien tlic elders said: “Why art thou and from what country art thou come even unto us? Ilcrctoforc we havc not licard thce spoken of, and wc arc even ignorant of thy name."
-16"I am an Israclitc," answered Issa, "and on tlic day of my birth I saw thc walls of Jerusalem, and heard the wailings of my brothers reduced to slavery and thic lamentations of my sisters carried away among the hcathen."
--17"And my soul was painfully grieved wlico I siw thal my brothers had forgotten the truc God; while yet a child I lost my fatlicr's ilouse (u go and settle among other nations,"
-18 "But hearing that my brotliers suffered still greater Torturers I returned to the country where iny parents dweit, to recall my brothers to the faith of tlicir allcestors, which tcnches 119 paticnce upon earth so that we may obtain perfect and sublimc happiness above."
--19-- And the learned elders asked fuim this question: "They claim that thou denicst the laws of Mossa and tliat thou teachest the people to abandon clie temple of God?"
--20 And Issa answered: “We do not demolish what has

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. been given by our heavenly Father and what has been destroyed by sinners, but I have advised them to purify their heart of every stain, for there is the true temple of God."
21"As for the laws of Mossa I have tried to re-cstablish them in the hcart of men, but I tell you that you do not understand their true mcaning, for it is not vengeance, but pardon that they teach; only the sense of these laws has been perverted."
XI.
Having leard Issa, the priests and the learned elders decided among themselves not to judge him for le did no evil to anyone, and presenting thicinsclvcs bcforc Pilate, the Governor of Jerusalem, chosen by the heathen King of the country of Romulus, they addressed him thus:
- 2– "We liave seen the man whom thou accusest of ex. citing our people to revolt, we have heard his teachings and we know that he is our fellow-countryman.'
"But the rulers of the towns have sent thcc falsc rcports, for he is a just man who tcaches the people the word of God. After having questioned him we let him go in pcace."
- 4 The Governor became violently enraged and sent his servants in disguise to spy after Issa and to report to the authorities every word that he addressed to the people.

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THE UNKNOWN IJFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
The holy Issa continued, however, to visit the neighboring towns and preach the true ways of the Crcator, cxhorting the Hcbrcws to patience and promising them i spcccly deliverance.
During all this time many people followed him wherever he went; many did not quit him, but they served him as servants.
And Issa said: “Do not believe in miracles performed by the hand of man, for He who commands nature is alonc able to perform supernatural things, while man is powerless to soften the rage of winds and to distribute ritin."
" There is one miracle, however, that it is possible for man to perform; it is, when full of sincere belief, hc decides to uprout from his licart all bad thoughts, and to attain this end, he goes no more into the paths of evil."
- 9"And all the things which are done without God are but great errors, scductions and enchantinents, which show only low far tlic soul of him wlio practices this art is full of slianielcssicss, falsehood and impurity,"
"Put no faith in oracles, for God alone knows the futurc; hic who has recourse to sorcerers, defiles the temple which is in his heart and shows distrust for his Creatur.
-II • Faith in sorcerers and their oracles (lestroys the innate simplicity in man and his child-like purity; an infernal power takes possession of him and forces him

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. to commit all sorts of crimes and worship idols;"
-12" While the Lord, our God, who has no equal, is one, all-powerful, all-knowing and present everywhere; it is He who alone possesses all wisdom and all light."
--13"It is to Ilim that you must pray for being conlorted in your griefs, aided in your works, cured in your sickness; whoever will have recourse to Him will not suffer refusal."
"The secret of nature is in the hands of God, for the world, before it appeared, existed in the depths of tlıc Divine thought; it has become material and visible by the will of the Most High.”
--15-- " When you would scek Him, become children, for you know neither the past, nor the present nor the future and God is master of time."
XII.
--
--
"Just man!" said tlic disguised servants of the Governor or Jerusalem, "tell us whether we should execute the will of our Cæsar or await our ncar deliver
ance."
And Issa having recognized in the questioncrs the people bribed to follow him, said to them: “I have not said that you would be delivered from Caesar; it is the soul which is plunged into crror that will have deliverance."

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88
TILE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CIIRIST.
“There can be no family without a licad and there can be no order mong a people without a Cæsar whoni tlicy must obcy blindly, for lic alone shall answer for his acts before tlıc suprcmc tribunal."
"Dues Ciesar possess it Jivinc right," the spies again asked, "and is lic the best of mortals ?"
"There is nonc best among men, but truly there are somc that are sick wliom chosen men charged with this niission should care for, by using thic-means which the sacred law of our Heavenly Father confers upon tlicin,"
"Clemency and justice are the highest gifts granted to Cesar, his name will be illustrious if he holds to tliem."
"But he wlio acts otherwise, who transgresses the limits of his power over those under his rule, cidangering thicir lisc, ofsends thic grcat Judge and wrongs llis dignity in the opinion of men."
Meanwhile all old woman who had approached the crowd to licar Issa better was pushed aside by one of the disguised men who placed himself before her.
Issa then said: “It is not good for a son to pushi aside his mother so that he may occupy the front place which should be hers. Whoever does not respect his mother, the most sacred being after God, is unworthy of the name of son."
--10“Listen to these words: Respect woman for she

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2
JAI
VALLA
2
ATILE
18
10'
Fi
C . ul
.
L
NINI 111
WWF SUN
Pei
SCENE NEAR SURGHOL. --See page 43.

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
is the mother of the universe and the truth of divine creation lies within her.'
"She is the foundation of all that is good and beautiful, as also the germ of life and death. Upon her depends the whole life of man for she is his mora} and natural support in his labors."
--12
"She gives birth to you amid suffering; by the sweat of her brow she attends your growth and until her death you cause her the greatest anxiety. Bless her and adore her, for she is your only friend and support upon earth."
--11
13
Respect and defend her; in acting thus you will win her love and her heart, and you will please God, and many of your sins will be forgiven."
-14
41
14
'Therefore, love your wives and respect them, for they will be mothers to-morrow, and later elders of a whole nation."
--
-15
"Be submissive to your wife; her love ennobles a man, softens his hardened heart, tames the beast and makes a lamb of it."
-16
"Wife and mother are inestimable treasures bestowed of God; they are the most beautiful ornaments of the universe, and of them will be born all who shall inhabit the world."

-17
"Just as the God of armies formerly separated the light from earkness and the land from waters, so woman possesses the divine talent to separate the good from evil intentions in man."

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 91
18“Thercíore I say unto you, after God your best thoughts should belong unto women and to your wives; she is thic divina temple where you will obtain casily perfect happiness."
"Draw from this temple your moral force; tlıcrc you will forget your troubles and your failures; thcrc you will recover your wasted forces which are necessary in helping your neighbors."
—20" Do not expose her to humiliations, for thereby you humiliate yourself and lose the scutiinent of love, without which nothing exists licrc below."
"Protect your wise that she may protect you and all your family; all that you will do for your mother, your wife, for a widow or another woman in distress, you shall have donc,for your God."
XIII.
- -- Holy Issa thus taught the people of Israel for three years in every town and village, on the highways and on the plains, and izll that hic preclicted was realized.
During all this time the disguised scrvants of the Governor Pilate observed him closely without hearing anything resembling the reports formerly made against Issa by the rulers of the towns.
--3
But the Governor Pilate, fearing the great popularity of the Saint Issa, whom his opponents bclicved to

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
be inciting the people to have himself chosen for king, ordered one of his spics to accuse him.
—|——
Then he ordered the soldiers to proceed to arrest him, and they imprisoned him in a dungeon, where they caused him to endure various torments, hoping thereby to force him to accuse himself, which would permit them to put him to death.
-5
The Saint, desiring only the perfect happiness of his brothers, endured these torments in the name of his Creator.
The servants of Pilate continued torturing him, reducing him to a state of extreme weakness; but God was with him and did not suffer him to die.
Learning of the sufferings and tortures which their Saint endured, the principal priests and wise elders requested the Governor to set Issa free on the occasion of a great feast which was near at hand.
-8
But the Governor refused them decidedly. They asked him then to have Issa appear before the tribunal of the elders in order that he might be condemned or acquitted before the feast; Pilate consented to this.
-9-
The next day the Governor called together the principal captains, priests, wise elders and legislators for the purpose of having them judge Issa.

1-10
They brought the Saint from his prison, and scated him before the Governor between two robbers, who were then on trial, and to show the people that he was not the only one to be condemned.

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
93
And Pilate, addressing. Issa, said: “O man! is it true that thou dost incitc the people against the authorities with the intention of becoming the king of Israel thyself?"
-12“One does not become king by his own will," answered Issa, "and tlicy have spoken falscly to you in asserting that I was inciting the people. I have never spoken but of the King of Heaven, and it is lie whom I taught the people to worship."
-13" For the sons of Israel have lost their original purity, and if they do not liave recourse to the true God thcy will be sacrificed and thcir temple will fall in ruin."
--14-- "Temporal power maintains order in a country; I Iravc therefore taught tlıcır not to forget it; I said to them: Live according to your position and fortune, so as not to disiurb public order;' and I exhorted them also to remember that disorder reigned in their heart ind in their soul."
"Thus the King of Ileaven has punished them and suppressed their national kings. Nevertheless I said to thicm: 'If you resign yourselves to your fate, the Kingda dom of licaven will be reserved to you as a reward.''.
---10--- Al this moment the witnesses were introduced, one of whom testified, saying: "Thou hast taught the pcople that the temporal power was nothing before that of the king who woull soon free the Israclites from the heathen yoke."
17
"Blessed be thou," said Issa, " for having told the

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04 TIE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. truth; the King of Heaven is greater and more powerful than terrestial law, and His Kingdom surpasses all kingdoms here below."
--18"And the time is not far distant when conformably to the Divinc will, the people of Israel shall purify tlicmsclves of thcir sins, for it is said that a precusor shall come and announce the deliverance of the people and unite them in one family."
--
--
And the Governor addressing the judges, said: "Do you hcar this? The Israelite Issa acknowledges the crime of which he is accused. Judge him then inccording to your laws and pronounce upon him capital punishment."
-20% "We cannot condemn him;" answered the priests and the ciders, "thou hast thyself hcard that he alluded to the King of Hcaven, and that he has preached nothing which constitutes insubordination against our
laws."
-21The Governor then summoned the witness who at the instignation of his inaster, Pilate, had betrayed Issa; this man came and addressing Issa, said: “Didst thou not make thysell pass as king of Isracl when thou didst say that He who reigns in Ilcaven liad scnt thcc to prepare His people?'
-22And Issa having blessed him, said: “Thou shalt be forgiven, for what thou sayest cometh not from thee."
Then addressing the Govenor lic said: "Why humiliatc thy dignity and teach thy infcriors to live in falschood, since ciel without this thou hast the power to condemn an innocent person?"

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
-23
-
At these words the Governor became violently enraged and ordered Issa to be condemned to death and the two robbers to be acquitted.
--24
The judges having consulted together, said to Pilate: "We will not take upon ourselves the great sin of condemning an innocent man, and of acquitting robbers, which is contrary to our laws."
--25
"Do, therefore, as thou pleaseth." Having said this the priests and the wise men went out and washed their hands in a sacred vessel, saying: 14 We are inno
cent of the death of this just man."
95
XIV.
-1

By order of the Governor the soldiers seized Issa and the two robbers and led them to a place of punishment and there nailed them upon crosses which they
erected.
--2
All day long the bodies of Issa and the two robbers remained suspended dripping with blood, under the guard of the soldiers; the people stood round about them, the relatives of the tortured praying and weeping.
-3
At sunset the suffering of Issa ended. He lost his consciousness and the soul. of this just man freed itself from his body to be absorbed in the Divinity.
- 4
Thus ended the terrestial life of the reflection of

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96 THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. the Eternal Spirit in the form of a man who endured so much suffering, saving hardened sinners.
Pilate, however, through his own actions feared the throng, and returned the body of the Saint to his relalives, who intcrred it near the place of execution; the people came to pray at his tomb filling the air witli wccping and wailings.
Threc days afterwards fearing a general uprising, the Governor sent soldiers to raise secretly the body of Issa and bury it in some other place.
The next day the throng found the tomb open and empty; so that the rumor was spread that the Supreme Judge had sent His angels to carry away the mortal remains of the Saint in whom had dwelt on earth a part of thic Divinc Spirit.
-- - When the rumor reached Pilate he was very angry incl forbade them uuder penalty of slavery and death ever to utter the name of Issa, or to pray to the Lord for him.
But the people continucd to wecp and to glorify thcir Master aloud; so that many of them wcrc led into captivity and subjected to torture and put to death.
--10-- Then many of the disciples of the Holy Issa left the country of Israel and went among the heathen, prcaching that they must abandon their errors and think of the saícty of thcir souls and the perfect happiness awaiting human beings in the immaterial world of liglit and wisdom wherein reposes in all His purity and perfect majesty, the great Creator.

Page #98

ANYU
SH
2
.2
.
IN
WAN
1111
S
*
.
!!
tu
su
.
A BUDDHIST MONASTERY IN LADAK. -See page 43.

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98 THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESTS CHRIST,
-IlThe heathen, their kings and their warriors, listened to these preachers, abandoned their absurd beliefs, lelt thcir priests and their idols to celebrate the praises of the very wisc Crcator of the Universe, the King of Kings, whosc heart is filled with infinite mercy.

Page #100

SUMMARY In reading the preceding story of the life of Issa (Jesus Christ) we are on the one hand struck by the resemblance between some of its principal passages and the biblical and evangelical story and on the other hand by the contradictions equally remarkable which often differentiate the Buddhist version from the Old and New Testaments.
To explain this singularity it is necessary to take into account the times when thcsc facts were consigned to.writing.
We have been taught, it is true, since our childhood that the Pentateuch was written by Moses, but the careful investigation of contemporary scholars have showni conclusively that in the days of Moscs and even long after him there existed ro writing in those countrics whose shores were washed by the Mediterranean, except the Egyptian hieroglyphics and the cuniform inscriptions which are still land in die ruins of Babyloni. But we know, on the contrary, that the alphabet and parchment were known in China and India long before Moscs. Of this we have sufficient proofs.
The sacred books of " The Religion of Savants" teach us that the alphabct was invented in China in 2800 B. C., by Fou-si, who was the first emperor of China to adopt this rcligion; it was lie who arranged its ritual and external ceremonics. Yao, the fourth of the Chinese cinperors who belonged to this faith, publisher llic moral and civil laws and in 2228 1. C. lie framed it penal code. The fifth emperor, Soune, proclaimed in

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100
THE UNKNOWN LI1 OF JESUS CHRIST. the ycier ol luis accession to the throne that the Religion of Savants would thenccforth bc thic religion of the State and in 2282 B. C., hic cnacted new penal laws. Ilis laws, 1110dificd by the Empcror Woo Wang, founder of thc Chow dynasty in 1122, arc rcally known under the name of "Changes."
On the other hand, the doctrine of Buddha to whosc truc namic was Sliakya Morni, was written on parchment. Toism began to spread in China about 260 B. C.; in 200 21 cmpcror of the Tsine Jynasty desirous of studying Buddhism had invited a Buddhist namcd Silifan from India, and the Emperor Ming-Ti of the l'Iasic dynasty, a year bcforc thc birth of Jesus Clirist, procured from India thc sacrcd books written by the Buddha Shakya Muni, founder of the Buddhist doctrinc, who lived about 1200 years before Jesus Christ.
The doctrine of Buddha Gautama or Gotama, who lived 600 years B. C., was written on parchment in the Pali language. At this time, there existed already in India, about 84,000 Buddist manuscripts which had been compiled for a great number of years.
T! ;, Clubes ni dr Win!) possessed 17:15 i icry rich irister ::07:2. anong less fortunate or more in merimne preple who hau no alphabet. accounts were transmitted orally from generation to gencration. Owing to the untrustworthiness of the human nicilory and its relative incapacity, with Oricntal lancy andelee lu it, the historical facts soon degenerated
*Benelli Shakyat Muni inBuckelhor Cautama are really the same. But the lists believe in m y other buchas fire. calcul tlic Buclilla wlw livet! (100 years before Jesus. As to the vear when the Buddha Shakya Muni clied, the Buddhists Ixocks Glitter coilsiclerahly--the most vista periods mentinu being the years 2422 and 544 B. C.- Translator,

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
TOI into fabulous legends which later on, were collected together by the unknown compilers and given to the world under the name of the “Five Books of Moses;" legend also attributes to the Hebrew law-giver an extraordinary divine power and credits him with a scries of miracles performed in the presence of Pharaoli; it has cven been mistaken in declaring that he was an Israclitc by birth.
The Hindu chroniclers, on the contrary, thanks to the invention of the alphabet, have been able to preserve not lcgends, but the accounts of dccds recently performed or the reports of merchants who had just returned after visiting foreign countries.
It should be remembered here, that in ancient as well as in our own tiincs, all the public life of the Orient was concentrated in tlic bazaars where the news from forcign countries were propagated by caravans of mcrchants who were usually followed by dervishics whose business it was to recitc,new events in public places and temples and thus obtain a living. Soon after their return from a journey or from business the merchants related all that they had seen or heard.*
The commerce of India rith EA1 and artertarris with Europe passed through Jerusalem, where even in the time of King Solomon. Hindu caravans brought precious metals and all materials for the construction of icmples. Merchandise from Europe arrived at Jerusalem by sca and was unloaded in a harbor which is now the site of Jaffas
*Froin very ancient times it has been a very common practice in the Orient for the pilgrims und travelers to compose in verses the description of the places they visit and the recital of events that impress them; and these little poems are committed to niemory and often recited by the people. There are numerous such poems among the Jains.-Translator.
SI have proved the antiquity of the Indian trade in my lutruduction.- Translator.

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102 TIF UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CURIST.
The chronicles in question were written before, during and alter Jesus Christ; but during his sojourn in India, wlicre hc wcut as a mere pilgrim to study thic Halimin nl Hmellist laws, no special attention was given him. But later, when tlic first reports of these cvents in Israel reached India, the chroniclers aster having consigned to writing all tlicy liad hicard about the prophct Issa whom an oppressed race liad followed and wlio by order of Pilatc had been put to dcath, rcmembered that this same Issa of Israelite origin had recently lived and studiсd among them and then returned to his own country. Soon an interest was crcated for this man wito hadi so rapidly grown in importance in thcir cyes and thicy immcdiately began to inquire about his birth, his death and all the dictails of his lifc.
The two manuscripts read to me by the Lama of the Himis monastcry were collections of different copies written in the Thibetan language-translations of soine rolls belonging to the Library of Lassa and brought from India, Nepal and Magadha, about 200 ycars after Christ, to a convcnt standing on Mount Marbour near Lassa where the Dalai Lama now resides.
These rolls were written in the Pali language which certain Lamas study in oricr to be able to translate into the Thibctan dialect.
The chroniclers were Buddhists belonging to the sect of Buddlia Gotama. The references relating to Jesus in these chronicles are not put in order but are mixed up without sequence or coherence so far as contemporary events are concerned.
Tlie manuscript bcgirrs without explanation or detail the accounts as they were given by some inerchants who came from Judea in the year of the death of Jesus,

Page #104

THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 103 that a just man by the name of Issa, an Israclite, after having been twice acquitted by the judges as being the mian of God, was nevertheless put lo death by the order of the heathen Governor l’ilate, who feared that Jesus woulil, boy hain grent popularity, loc able to re-
entliche the Kingdom of Israel and cxpcl those who had conqucrcı it.
Finally communications just as incolierent came to us about the teachings of Jesus ainong the Guebres and other leathens. These reports scem to have been brought in the first year that followed the death of Jesus in wliom tlicy took au interest still greater.
One of the accounts given by a merchant speaks of the origin of Jesus and his family, another relates the expulsion of his partisans and the persecutions which they endured.
It is only at the end of the second volume that we find the first categorical affirmation of the chronicler where he says that Issa.is blessed by God and that he is the best of all men, that he is the one in whom the great Brahma had chosen to incarnate His spirit which is separated from the Supreme Being at a period fixed by fate.
After having said that Issa descended from poor parents of Israelite origin, the chronicler digresscs a little with the intention of explaining, according to old narrations, who the song of Israel were. I have arranged all the fragments concerning the life of Issa in chronological order, and I have tricd to give them the character of unity which thcy totally lacked.
I leave to scholars, philosophers and theologians the task of searching for the causes of tlic contradictions that may be found between this version of the life of Issa which I deliver to the public and the accounts of the Evangelists, but I believe no one will hesitate to

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104
THE UNKNOWN LIFE OR JESUS CHRIST. igree with muc that the version which I present to the public recorded three or four years alter the death or Jesus, according to the statement of eye-witnesses and contemporaries, is more likely to be authentic than the rccounts of the Evangclists who wrote at different times and so long after the actual occurrerice of the events, that there is no wonder if the facts are inisconstrucd or the sense is altercd.
Bcíorc touching on the life of Jesus, I must say a few words upon the luistory of Moses, www according to the most accredited belief was an Israclite. This is contradicted by the Bucklist records from which we learn that Moses was a prince of Egypt, the son of a Pharaoh and that the Israclite scholars were employed merely as his teachers. By carcfully examining this important point we must admit that the Buddhist authors were right.
Hlaving no siesire to clestroy llie biblical legend concerning thic origin of Moscs, I bclicvc tfiat many will adınit with me that Moscs was not a simple Israclite, for this appreciable rcason, tliat tiis education which he had received was that of the son of a king, and it is therclore lillicule to believe that a child brought by mcre clance into the palace should liave been placed on cypridd slancing wito de son of the ruling sovercig. (inud that luis education should live been considered of like importance). The manner in which the Egyptians treated licir slaves shows that they were not particularly distinquishied for generosity of character. A foundling (tlic child of a slave) woull certainly not have been placed with the children of Pharaoh but would liave been placed with his servants. Add to this the fact (and this is preponderating cvidence) that the spirit of caste was so strictly observed in ancient Egypt.
On the other hand it is impossible to doubt that

Page #106

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Page #107

106 TILE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. Moses 11:4d received it completo education; vithout that how could we explain his great work of legislation, hvis largc vicws and his ligh qualities as a ruler?
But if he was a prince, why was hic attached to the Israclites? The explanation seems very simple to me. We know that among the ancients, its in our modern times, contentions existeil between brothers as to who should succcel their fatlicr on the throne. Why nut admit this hypotliesis that Moses had dreams of sound. ing a distinct kingclom, elic fact that he had an clder brother preventing him from entertaining any hope of ever coming to the eluronic u lisypc? It was perhaps with this object that lic attached himself to the 1siaclites whom inc aclmirea lor their firmnesy in their belief and their bodily strength. We know that the Israclitcs of Libypt did not at all resenible their descendants physi. cally; tlie blocks of granite used in building the palaces and pyramids stand there as evidence of this.
Iexplain in the same manner the history of the miracles which Moses might have performed before Pharaoh. \Vithout bringing definite arguments for denying the miracles preformed before Pharaoh in the name of God, you will agrec, I think willlout much difhculty, that the Buddhist version is more probable than the bibical interpretation. The small.pox, laguc or Cliolerra must hrave causeil cuormous ravages in such an intensely dense population at a time when idcas upon hygiene were still rudincntary and wlien consequently the discasc must have assumed fcarful proportions.
Moscs, wliosc intelligence was quick and prompt to show itself, was well able to work on the fears evinced by Pliaraoli bclore clic ulicliain cleincnts, by explaining to him that it was due to the intervention of the God of Israel in favor of his chosen pcoplc.
Tliis was the most opportunc moment for Moses to

Page #108

THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 107 deliver the children of Isracl from bondage and of bringing them under his own domination,
Conformable to the will of Pharaoh, still according to the Buddhists, Moses led the Israelites beyond the walls of the city; but instead of building a new city near the capital as he had been ordered by Pharaol, he Icd them out of the Bigyptian territory. One can casily understand the indignation of Pharaoh upon learning that Moscs infringed upon his commands, so lic ordered his soldicrs to pursuc thic fugitives. It scems, from thic geographical situation of this region, that Moscs must hiave skirted the inountain in his route and entered Arabia by the Isthmus now cut by the Sucz. Canal. Pharaoh, on the contrary, led his troops in a direct line towards the Red Sea, and in order to overtake the Israelites, who had already reached the opposite shore, he wanted to take advantage of the ebb of the sea into the gulf, formed by the shores and the isthmus and inake his soldiers ford it. But the distance across the arm of the sea at this point was greater than he anticipated, for the tide closed in on the Egyptian army when they were half way across and nonc of them could possibly escapc dcath.
This fact, so simple in itself, was transformed after centuries into a religious legend among tlic Israclites. who saw in it a divine intervention as it punishment 113llicted by their God upon their cremies. We think that Moses himself entertained this belief. But that is a thesis which I will undertake to develop in a future work.
The Buddhist chronicle then describes briefly the greatness and the downfall of thic kingdom of Israel and its conquest by strangers, who reduced its people to a state of scrvitude.
The misfortuncs which bcsell the Israelites and their

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108
TIE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. bitter afflictions bienccforth were, according to the chronicler, reasons more than sufficient for God to take pity on His people, and desiring to come to their rescue, lle resolved to descend upon carth in the form of a prophct, that He might lead them back into the path of safety.
The condition of things at this time justified the belics that the arrival of Jesus was signalized, imınincnt and necessary.
This explains why the Buddhist traditions affirm that thic Etcrnal Spirit separated itself from tlic Eternal Being and incarnated itself into the newly-born child of a pious and noble family.
No doubt, the Buddhists as well as the Evangelists wislicd to indicate by this that tlie child belonged to the royal house of David, but the text of the Evangel, ilccurring to which the child was conceived of the Holy Ghost, can be interpreted in two ways, while according to the doctrine of Buddha, which is most conformable to the laws of nature, the Spirit only incarnated itself in a child alrcady born, whom God blessed and chose to accomplish His mission here below.*
At this place there is a gap in the traditions of the Evangelists, who, citlicr from ignorance or negligence,
*The theory of the Divinity or Buildiha incarnating at differcut timies is common to the Thibetan Buluhisın incl' alloderie Hinduism. It is known as the Avata ra theory. Thic licad Lania of certain monasteries in Thibet is consielerce the living visible embodiment, for the time being, of Bucketha, who from tiine to time descends from heaven and reappears in human forins for the welfare of the worki. Kristus, in the Bhagvad Gita, says: "livery time that religion is in langer and thit iniquity triumphs, Tissue forth. For the defense of the good and the suppression of the wicked, for the establishment of righteotsiess, I manifest my. sell from age to age." And among the Buddhists there are varivus ranks in the incarnations; there arc Jower and higher Avataras, corresponding to the difference in rank of saints, etc.-Translator.

Page #110

THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 109 tell us nothing of his infancy, his youth or his training, They commence the history of Jesus with his first sermon, that is to say, at the time when at the agc of thirty he returns to his country.
All that the Evangelists say concerning the childhood of Jesus totally lacks precision. “And tlic child grew and waxed strong, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him," says one of the sacred authors, St. Luke; and again: "The child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his showing unto Israel."
As the records of the livangelists were compilcıl long afrer the death of Jesus, it is probable that they only consigned to writing the accounts of the principal cvents of his life.
On the contrary, the Buddhists, who recorded their chronicles soon after tlic crucifixion, and who had the advantage of collecting the most correct references to all points which interested them, give us a complete and detailed descriptioil of the life of Jesus.
In thosc unfortunate days, when the struggle for cxistence seems to have destroyed all notion of God, the people of Israel endured the double oppression of the ambitious llerod and the despotic and avaricious Romans. Then, as now, the llebrews placed all their hope in Providence, wlio. they believeil, would send them an inspired man, who would deliver them from their physical and moral sufferings. Bul time passed and no one took the initiative in a revolt against the tyranny of their rulers.
In these times of trouble and hope, the people of Israck forgot completely tinal there cxisted in thcir midst a poor Israclite who was directly descenied from thicir King Dail. This proof man married in muiden who gave birth to a marvelous child.

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110 THE UNKNOWN LIFE OR JESUS CHRIST.
Thc Hlcbrews hcard of this, and faithful to their traditions of devotion and respect for the race of their kings, they went in crowds to congratulate the happy father and sce the child. It is evident that Herod did not long remain ignorant of all that occurred. He scared that the child, when of age, would make use of liis popularity to regain the throne of his ancestors. He tlicrcforc had scarch maclc for the child, whom thc Israclitcs tricd to conccal from thic anger of the king; then he ordered the abominablc massacre of the chil. cren, hoping that Jesus would perish in this vast human liccatonib, but thic family of Joseph, being warned of the terrible execution that Herod contemplated, took rcfuge in Egypt.
Somctimc ilterwards they returned to thcir native land. The child had grown during these travels, although it had been exposed to many dangers. Then, as at present, the Oriental Israclites commenced the education of their children at the age of five or six years. Obligcd always to remain conccalcu, the parents did not permit the son to leave the housc; so, without doubt, he passed all his tiinc studying the sacred writings, by which rcason when he returned to Judea he was far in acvance of all youths of his age, which grcatly astonished the Icarned clders. lle was in his thirteenth year, the age when, according to the Judaic law, a young man rcaclics majority and has the right to marry and perform bis religious duties just ils acuits do,
There still exists among the Israelites an ancient religious custom wlich fixes the majority for males at therteen, wlicn the youth becomes a member of society and enjoys cqual rights with the adults. Thus his marriage at this age is lawful, and is even indispensable in the Warm countries. In Europe, however, this custom has fallen into desuctude and has no more importance,

Page #112

THE UNKNOWN LIFE OP JESUS CHRIST. 11 owing to the influence of local laws and also to the laws of nature, which do not contribute here so powerfully to the physical development of the young as in warmer countries.
His royal origin, his rare intelligence, and the hard study to which he had applied himself, caused even the most noble and wealthy people to regard him as an exccllcnt inatch, and many strove to sccurc him for a sonin-law. Thus the Israclites of to-day hold it as an honor to marry their daughters to the son of a Rabbi or of a scholar. But the pensive youth, scemingly separated from all corporal things, and with a great thirst for knowledge, left sccretly the house of his parents and joined the caravans that were just leaving the country.
We may believe that Jesus Christ prcfcrred to go to India, because at this time Egypt itself was a part of the Roman possessions, and also because a very brisk commercial exchange with India had circulated throughout Judea stories concerning the majestic character and thc unhcard-of richness of thic arts and sciences in this marvellous country, whither even now all the aspirations of the civilized world turn.
Here the Evangelists lose the thircad of the terrestrial life of Jesus. Lukc says: "He remained in the dcsert until the time of showing unto Israel," which is a conclusive prool that no one know whicre the young man had disappcarcal to, or whence he returned suddenly after sixteen years'absence.
On his arrival in India, the country or marvels, Jesus began to frequent the temples of the Jains. There has existed, and still exists, in the peninsula of Hindustan, a sect which berus the name of Jains; it loris, as it were, a bond of union between Buddhism and Brahmanism, and proaches the destruction of all other beliefs, which it declares are in crror. It arose in the

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112
TIL UNKNOWN LIFE OR JEESUS CIIRIST. seventh century B. C. Its name is derived from the word "Jina" (conqucror) which is given as a symbol of triumph over its rivals.*
Astonished at thc gcnius of the young man the Jainas requested him to remain in thicir midst; but Jesus left them to establish himself in Jagannath, where he clevoted himself to the study of treatiscs of religion, philosopliy, etc. Jagannath is one of the principal cities sacred to the Brahmins, and in the time of Christ possessed a great rcligious influence.
At Jagannath there is a very fine library of precious Sanskrit books and religious manuscripts. Jesus remained six ycars hcrc studying thic languagc of the country und Sanskrit, whicli cnable him to scarch into all the religious doctrines, pliilosophy, medicine and mathematics. He found much to condenin in the Brahmanical customs and laws, and he maintained
*in regard to the Jains of Trulia, M. Netovitch scems to have followed the groundless assumption of some European scholars, that Jainism is a bond of union between Buldhism ind Brahman. isov; nay, some of the scholars maintained some years ago, that Jainism was a branch of Buddhism, But careful investigations have exploiled that theory, and even the Europican scholars now hold that Jainism is older than Buddhism. In truth, accepting the gencral opinion that the Brahmins first came to India from the north. western passes, the Jains are the descendants of the original owners of lulia, whom the Brahmins in their Vegas give all sorts of name's, in whiten distilove them in dicir animal sacrifices, For further information on this subject, I refer the reader to uly work on Invia..-Translator.
SI'radition claims that the ashes of the illustrious Brahmini Krishna are preserve here in the hollow of a trec ncar a mag. nificent temple. Krishma livec 1580 B3. C., and collected and arranged the Vedas, which he dividlecl into four hooks-Rik, Yajur, Saman and Atharvan. Krishna, who received for his work the name of l'yasa (i, e., he who has collected and divided the Vedas) has uso composed the Vcilenta and eighteeni Puranas consisting of 100.000 stanzas,

Page #114

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LEH, AS SEEN FROM OUTSIDE THE City. See page 50.

Page #115

114 1111: UNKNOWS LIFE OF JESCS CHRIST. public discussions with the Brahmins who tried to convince bim of the sacred character of thcir estab. fished customs.
Anong other things Jesus denounced the injustice of humiliating the laborer (they not only deprived him of the right of future happiness, but also denied him the right to attcnd religious sermons). And Jesus began to preach to the Shudras, the lowest caste of slaves, teaching them that there is one God only according to their own laws, that all there is exists only through Him, that with Him all are equal, and that the Brahmins liad obscured the great principle of monotlicism in perverting the words of Brahma himself, and in insisting strongly on the external ceremonies.
According to the doctrines of the Brahmins, this is what God speaks of Himself to the angels: "I have been since ctcrnity and forever will I bc; I am the first cause of all that cxists in the cast and in thc west, in the northi and in the south, above and below, in heaven and in hell. I am older than all things, I am the Alll'owerful; I am the God of Gods; the Kings of Kings; I ain Parabrahma, the great soul of the universe."
After the world had appcarcd by the mere desire of Parabrahma, God created men whom He arranged in four classes according to this color: white (Bralımins), red (Kshatriyas), yellow (Vaishyas) and black (Shudras).
Brahma drew the first from his own mouth and give them as their portion the government of the world, the duty of tcaching thic men the laws and healing and of judging them. As the Brahmins only occupy the offices of priests, teachers and commentators of the Vedas, they alone should observe celibacy.
The second casłe, that of the Kshatriyas, came from the hand of Brahma. Ile made them warriors,

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115
THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. cntrusting to them the care of defending society. All kings, princcs, captains, governors and warlike people, belong to this caste, and preserve with thc Brahmins the most cordial relations, because the one can not exist without the other, and because the peace of the country depends on the alliance of knowledge with power, of the templc of Bralıma with the royal throne.
Thc Vaishyas, who form the third caste, were crcated by Brahma from his belly. They are destined to to till the land, to raise cattle and carry on all kinds of trade and commerce, that they may support thc Brahmins and the Kshatriyas. They are permitted to go to the temple and to listen to the readings of Vcdas only on fcast days; at other times thcy are obliged to attend to their alloted duties.
The last class, the blacks or Shudras. came from thc fect of Brahma to be the humble servants or slaves of the otlicr three castes. Thcy are forbidden lv attene the reading of the Vedas; he who comes in contact with them is defiled. They are miserable beings deprived of all human rights, not being allowed to look at members of the higher castes, and in sickness forbidden to receive a plıysician's care.
Death alone can free them from the conscquences of their life of servitude; in order to get this reward, however, they must have served for their whole lisc, without murmur or idleness, a member of one of the privileged classes. Then, only, aster having performed with fidelity and zeal his duties in the service of a Brahmin or a Kshatriya, has the Shudra lhe promise that his soul, after death, will be raised to a superior caste.
If a Shudra. fails in his obedience towards a member of the privileged class or otherwise becomes disgraced, he is outcasted:111 degraded to the rank of a

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116
TIE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
l'aria, who is banislıcd from all the towns and villages; he is the object of general scorn, is considered an abject creature, permitted to perform only the basest labor,
The same punishment may also be inflicted on a nicmber of the other caste; but he, however, by repenting, fasting and penances can re-enter his former rank in the castc, while the unfortunate Shudra, once driven from liis caste, is forever lost.
This explains the worship, by the Vaishyas and the Shudias, of jesus, wiio altitough menaced by the Brahmins and Kshatriyas, continued teaching them.
Now, Icsus in his sermons censured not only the inCisciz
atan? Sanaz and he worship of a munkes it piece of mirble or metal, but. also, lie condenined the very principle of Brahmanisni, its system of gods, its doctrines and its Trimurti, the corner stone of that rcligion
l'arabrahma is represented with three saccs upon one licad; this is tic Trimurti composed of Brahma, the crcator, Vishuu, the preserver and Shiva, thic destroyer.
Tlic origin of the Trimurti is:
In the beginning Parabrahma crcated the waters und in them cast the generative sccd which transformicd itself into a glowing egg rellccting the image of Braluna. Millions or centurics passed bymayhen Bralıma divided the cgg into two parts, one of which, the upper luall, became the sky, thic lower half, the earth. This done, Brahma descended on carth in the form of a child seating himself on a lotus-flower, and there began to ponder within liimiself thus: Who will watch over and preserve what I have created? An answer came from his mouth in tlic form of a flame "1" And Bralima gave to this word the name Vislinu, which means "he who preserves." Then Brahimit Jivielest his being into two parts, the one male, the other female-the active world

Page #118

THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
117 and the passive workel--the union of which gave birth to Shival, tlic destroyer.
'The following are the attributes of the Trimurti: Bralıma, the creative being: Vishnu, the preserving wisdom; Shiva, the destructive wrath of Justice. Brahma is the substance of which everything is made, Vishnu the space in which all things live, and Shiva thc time which annihilates all things. Brahma, the air which invigorates all, Vishnu, the water which sustains the strength of crcatures; Shiva, the fire which breaks the bond that unites all things. Bralıma is the past, Vislinu thic present, and Shiva the future. Each part of the Trimurti possesses also a wife. That of Brahma is Serastative newisdom; that of Vishnu is Lakshmi. goddess of virtue; and Shiva is wedded to Kali, the goddess of death, the universal destroyer.
From this last union was born the wisc god Ganesha, and Indra, chief of thic infcrior divinitics; the number of which including all objects of worship of the Hindus reaches three hundred millions.
Vishnu came down upon earth eight times, incarnating himself first in a fish, to save the sacred books from the delugc, then successively in a tortoise, a dwarf, a wild boar, a lion, then in Rama, who was a king's son, in Krishna and finally in Buddha. He will come for the ninth time in the form of a cavalier mounted upon a white horse to destroy death and sin.
Jesus denied the existence of all these hierarchical absurditics of God, which obscured the great principle of monotheism.
The Brahmins, seeing that the people began to adopt the doctrines of Jesus, their opponent whom they had hoped to win to themselves, resolved to kill him; but being warned by his faithful followers of the

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118 TIC UNKNOWN LIFT or resuS CHRIST. tlangers menacing him, he fled to the mountains of Nepal.
Buddhism had taken deep roots in this country at this period. This schismi was renarkable on account of its moral principles and ideas on the nature of divinity--idcas which brought man and nature, and mcı iniong thicmsclvcs ncarer together,
The founder of this sect, Shakya Muni, was born 1500 B3. C., at Kapila, the capital of his father's kingdom, nicar Nepal in the Himalayas. He belonged to tlic race of tlic Gautamides and to the ancient family of the Shakyas. From his infancy he displayed a great interest in religion, and, contrary to the wishes of his satlıcr, hic left the palace with all its alluring luxurics and began to preach against the Brahmins, purifying their doctrines. He died at Kushinagara surrounded by: many faithful disciples. Ilis body was burned and his ashes were distributed among the villages from which his new doctrine had driven Brahmanism,
According to the Buddhist doctrine, the Creator ilways remains in a condition of perfect inaction which nothing can disturb and from which He emerges, only at tinies determined by fate in order to create earthly Buddhas. To this end the Spirit separates itself from the sovereign Creator, and becomes incarnated in a Buddha and dwclls upon the carth for some time, wlicre it creates Bodhisattvas (masters), whose mission it is to preach the divinc law and to found new churches of believers, to whom they give laws and for wlioni they institute a new religious order, following the traditious of Buddhism.
An earthly Buddha is, in several ways, a reflection ul the sovereign Crcator Buddita, to whom he is united again after having ended his life upon eartlı; the Bohohisattvas, loo, as a reward for their labor and for the

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TIF UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 119 privations which they have endured here below, receive eternal happiness and enjoy a repose which nothing can disturb.*
Jesus sojourned six years among the Buddhists, where he found the principle of monotheism still in its purity. Having attained the age of twenty-six years, he remembered his native land which was under the heavy: oppression of foreigners. lle therefore resolved to return thcre. On his journey he preached in many countries against idolatry, human sacrifices and religious crrors, exhorting the people to recognize and worship Ciod, the Fatlicr of all beings whom He loved equally, the masters as well as the slaves, for they are all His children, to whom He has given his beautiful universe as a common heritage. The sermons of Jesus often produced a deep impression upon the people through whose country he journeyed, exposed to all sorts of dangers instigated against him by the clergy, but prolected by the idolators who had only the day before offered their children as sacrifices to their idols.
While crossing Persia, Jesus almost caused a revolt uong the worshipers of the doctrine of Zoroaster. The priests, scaring the vengeance of the people, darca not assassinate him; they resorted to stratagem and drove him from the city at night, boping that the fierce beasts would devour him, but Jesus escaped this peril and arrived sale and sound in the country of Isracl.
It is to be remarked here that the Orientals sometimes so picturesque in the midst of their miscrics and the ocean of corruption in which they have sunk under the constant influences of their priests and teachers,
*This, in purport is true, about the Thibetan Buddhism, which differs in many respects from the Southern Buddhism.Translator.

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120 TILEUNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CITIST. possess, mercitlicless it pronouncca liste for instruction ituel casily understand proper explanations. More than once, logo using simple words of truth J appealed to the conscience of a robber or it rebellious scrvant.
These people, flled with the sentiment of innatc honcsty which the priests, to further their personal ends, make every endeavor to crush, very quickly become honest and feel contcmpt for those who have unjustly abused tlıcm.
By tlic single virtue of truth(ulness onc could make of entire India with its three hundred millions of idols a vast Christian country. But this beautiful project would probably create a prejudice among certain Chris. tians, who like the pricsts above mentioned, spcculate upon the ignorance of the masses to enrich themselves.
St. Luke says that Jesus was about thirty years old wlien lic entered on his ministry. According to thic Buddhist chronicler Jesus must have begun preaching in his twenty-rinth year. All his scrinons which the evangelists do not mention and which have been preserved by tlic Buddhists are remarkable for their character of divine grandçur, The same of thic now preacher spread rapidly through the comtry and Jerusalem cagerly awaited luis arrival. When hic approached the lioly city, the people went to meet him in great throngs and led liim triumphantly to the temple, which is in conformity with the Christian tradition. The chicís and llic lcarneal men wlio heard linu, admired luis scrmons :uc rejoiced at the bencficent impression produced by his words on the tuultitude. All the remarkable sermons of Jesus are full of sublime words.
Pilatc, the governor of the country, however, did not look at this matter in the same light. Zealous igents reported to him that Jesus bad announced the ncar approach of a new kingdom, tlic re-establishment

Page #122

IMAMA
TH!
LEH, AS SEEN FROM THE MARKET-PLACE.— See page 50

Page #123

122 THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. of the throne of Isracl, and that he claimed himself to be the Son of God, sent to restore thic courage of Isracl. for hc, the King of Judca, would soon ascend the throne of his lilccsturs.
I do not wish 10 attribute to Jesus the role of revo. lutionist, but it seems to me very probable that Jesus worked upon the people with the view of re-establishing the throne which belonged to him by riglit ol inlicritance. Divincly inspired and at the same time convinced that his pretentions were legitimate, Jesus preached the spiritual union of the people in order that a political union might result.
Alaricd at these rumors, Pilatc called the learned inen and tlic clders of the people together and ordered them to forbid Jesus to preach publicly, and even to condemn him in the temple under the charge of apostacy. This was thic best way of ridding himself of a dangerous mari, of whose royal origin Pilatc kucw and wliose fame was increasing among the people.
We must remark bere that far from persecuting Jesus tlie Israelites rccognizing in hin the decendant of thic illustrious dynasty of David, made him the object of their secret hopes, as is proven by the Scriptures which relate that Jesus preached freely and openly in thic temple in the presence of the cldcrs, who could have forbidden him not only access to the temple, but even more, tlic right to prcach.
By Pilate's order, the Sanhedrim inct and summoned Jesus to appcar bcfore its tribunal. Attlic close of the inquest the members of the Sanhedrim informed Pilate that liis suspicions were groundless, as Jesus made only a religious propaganda and not a political one; that he preached the livine word and that furthermore he claimed to have come went to overthrow, but

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THE UNKNOWN LIFF OF JESUS CHRIST. to re-establish the laws of lioses. The Buddhist chronicle only confirms the sympathy which undoubtedly existed between Jesus, the young preacher, and the elders of Israel. Hence their reply, "we will not judgc a just man."
Pilatc was not satisfied, however, inkl sought another opportunity to bring Jesus before it now and regular tribunal; with this objcct a number of spics were sent to watch him and finally apprehended him.
According to the Evangclists, it was the Pharisecs and the Hebrews who sought to put Jesus to cleath, while the Buddhist chronicle declares positively that Pilate alone was responsible. This latter version is evidently much more probable than the former; the conquerors of Judea could not long tolerate the presence of a man who announced to the people their near deliverance from the forcign yolc. Undoubtedly, the popularity of Jesus was alarming to Pilatc, who, to insure his own safety, naturally surrounded tlic young preacher with his crasty agents instructed to watch his cvery word and action. Tlicy tricd by putting cmbarrassing questions to Jesus to draw from him imprudent words which would serve as an excuse for Pilaic's anger. 1f the teaching of Jesus had displeased the learned mon and Jlebrew priests, they would simply have forbidden the people to listen to him or follow him and would have prevented him from entering the temple. The Evangclists, however, relate that Jesus enjoyed great liberty among the Israelites, and in the temples whicrc l'hiarisccs and wisc mcn convcrscd with him.
In order to insure the condemnation of Jesus, Pilale submitted him to preliminary tortures to force from line illl mal od righe reason. These tortures did not produce the desired result. But, contrary to

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TILL UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. the usual cxpcrience with otlier innocent prisoners suljected to like sufferings, Jesus remained firnı, never Tallering or spcaking the slightest worels by which he could be condemned. Thus finding himself soilcci, Pilatc commanded that Jesus be put to the utmost torturcs, hoping to hasten death by cxhausting his vital forces. Jcsus, lowever, using his great will to increase his strength llei courage, and having confidence in liis juist causc which wils that of the nation and of God, endured with great fortitude all the bitter cruelties of his exccutioners. The secret and extraordinary torturcs provoked discontent among the ciders, who thcrefore resolved to intercede in his favor and demand that hic be set frcc bcforc thc fcast of l'assover. Their demand being rejected by Pilate, they insisted that he be brought before the tribunal, so certain were they of his acquittal which sccincd the more sure since the cntirc pcoplc ardcntly desired it.
In the cycs of the pricsts, Jesus was a saint belonging to the family of David, and his unjust imprisonment or that which was much more serious, his condemnation, woulil cast a profound gloon over the solemnities of the great national festival of the Israelitcs. Learning of Ule refusal of their demands, they begged that the judgment might take place before the festival. To this Pilate acceded, but he also caused two robbers to be judged at the same timc. By this icthod l'ilate endeavored to wcaken in the cycs of the people the importance of the fact that thic tribunal had trics and rendered judgment against an innocent man alone, which would leave on the ininds of the entire nation the sac impression that a verdict had been planned in advance. On the contrary, the condemnation of Jesus simultaneously with that of the thieves would almost efface the injustice committed against one of the prisoners

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TIIE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 125 The accusation was founded upon the evidence of hired witnesses.
During the trial, Pilate perverted thc words of Jesus (which taught of the kingdom of Ilcaven) to justify the accusation which was formulated against him. llc reckoned, it would sccm, on the cffect produced by thic answers of Jesus and upon his personal authority to influcncc the members of the tribunal not to examine too minutely the details of the case in land to secure a ver. dict according to his desire.
After having licard the perfectly natural answer of thic judges that the words of Jesus were diametrically opposcd to the accusation, and therefore he could not be condemned thercon, l'ilate had no other recourse but to cmploy, the evidence of an informer who, as the Governor thought, could not fail to produce a very strong impression upon the julges. This wretch, who was none other than Judas, formally accuscil Jesus of having aroused a revolt among the people.
Then took place a scene most sublime. When Judas gave his cvidcnce, Jesus turned to him, and having blessed him, said: “Thou shalt be forgiven, for what thou sayest cometh not of thee;" then addressing the Governor, he said: "Why lumiliate thy dignity and teach thy infcriors to live in fasehood, since even without this thou liast the power to condcmn an innocent person?"--Words sublime and touching! Jesus Christ manifests himself there in all his grandeur by convincing first the informer of having sold his conscience, then by pardoning him. Afterwards he addresses l’ilate, reproaching him for having had recourse to a process so degrading to his dignity to obtain his condemnation. The accusation that Jesus maclc agaist Pilate caused the Governor to completely forget his position and prudence which he should have displayed. So he demanded im

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126 TIL: UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. pcriously or tlic judges the condemnation of Jesus, and as if to assert his unlimited power, he ordered the acpuittal al llar problems. Trepiedezes, fineling this demand of l'ilare that woull force them to acquit the robbern and condemna Jesuu l aht imoteul, too unjust for them to comply with, refused lu comunit this double crime against their conscience and their laws. But being unable to contend against him who had tlic power to pronounce a final and unappcalable verdict, and sccing that he was dctcrniinca un riddling himscií, at any cost, of a man for whom tlic Roman authorities had the sliglitcst suspicion, they icit kim to pronouncc the verclict whiclı he liad so much at heart. That they might not sulfer thc rcproaches of the people, who would never have forgiven them for such great injustice, thcy washed their hands in thic presence of the people as tlicy left thic tribunal hall, thus showing that they had not sanctioned the death of the just Jesus whom the people worshiped.
About ten years ago I read in a German journal, the" Freudenblatt," an article on Jucas, in which the author showed that the informer had been the best Triceratol Jesus. It was for love ol his master that Judas had betrayed him, believing blindly in the words of the Saviour, who said that his kingdom would come after his clcath. But when hic bclield him on the cross, Judas, ifter having vainly awaited the promised resurrection, could not overcome his overwhelming reniorsc, and lung himself. It is useless to claborate on this lucubration, though it is certainly original enouglı,
But to return to the scriptural narrative and to the Buddhist chronicle, it is quilc probable that the hired informer was Juiclas, altnougli upon this point thc Buddhist version is silent. As lo te tyrery that remorse of conscience lcd the informer to take his own life, I do

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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 12,7 not attach any credit to it. A man capable of committing such a cowardly act and of accusing a friend falsely and that without any spirit of cnvy or revenge, but only Turn loomulut or Hilver, Muli ni mall, I way. In pwych logically valueless and incapable of knowing wliat Ionely or conscience is, therefore remorse iy tikutown 1o him. It is probable that the Governor acted in this matter, as is donc sonictimes in our own day when it is necessary to conccal from thic pcoplca grave sccrct at any cost, and had Judas hanged inmediately, to prevent ihc truth from cver being revealed to the public that tric testimony which condemned jesus cranated froin Pilate alonc.
On the day of the execution, a large dctachment of Roman soldiers was stationcd around the cross to prevent the crowd from rescuing the object of thcir worship. In this Pilate displayed extraordinary firmness and resolution. Owing to thcsc precautions, scdition was arrested; he could not, however, hinder thic pcople weeping over thč death of their cherislıcd idol, he being the last branch of the descendant of David.
Great throngs went to worship the tomb of Jesus. Michough we have no definite account concerning the first days following the execution, we can, by probable conjectures, reconstruct the scenes which must have follower. It is very prolral»lc that the prudent licutenant of the Roman Casar, sccink that the tomb of Jesus had become a place of universal lamentation and national grics, and fcaring that the micmory of the just man would excite the discontent and raise the entire country against tlic foreign yoke, should employ all possible means to banish the remembrance of Jesus from the mind of the public. l'ilate caused the body of Jesus to be buried near the place of execution and placed a detachment of soldiers on guard, who sur three

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128 TUIS UNKNOWN LIFE OJ JESUS CHRIST. days were thc jest and scorn of tlic pcoplc, who, brav, ing the danger, came in throngs to worship the great Inartyr. Tlien Pilato ordered the soldiers to raise the body by night, wlien the pilgrimage coased, and to bury it sccrctly in some other place, leaving the first tomb open and unguarıcd so that the people night scc that Jcsus had disappeared. But l'ilatc failed to accomplish this purpose; for the next day, not finding the body of their Master in the sepulcher, the Hebrews who were superstitious and bclicvce in ruiracies, declared that he had arisen from thic clcac. Ilow this lcgend cvcr camc to be so gencrally accepted, we do not know; perhaps it remained latent for a long time and then spread among low people, l'ossibly thc Ecclcsiastical authorities among the Hcbrcws looked upon this innocent belief with indulgence, which gave the oppressed a shadow of revenge against tlicir oppressors. Ilowso('ler this may be, since ilic day wlicn thiy legend of the resurrection of Jesus bccanic known to all, 110 onc has bcen firm enough to point out the impossibility of it.
Concerning the resurrection we must notice that according to the Buddhists the soul of the just unites itself to tlic Eternal Being, while the Evangelists insist rather upon the ascension of the body. It seems to me, nevertheless, that the Evangelists and the Apostles were very wise in giving a plastic description of the resurrection, for otlicrwisc, i.e., if the miracle had been less material, their teachings would not have had, in the Cyes or the people, that livine authority, that character so manifestly divine, which Cliristianity retains cven today, as being the only religion capable of maintaining the people in a condition of sublime enthusiasm, of sostening their savage instincts, and of bringing them nearer the grand and simple nature which God has entrusted, it is said, to that fccble clwars called “man."