Unknown Life of Jesus Christ Old Edition 1894 Publication

Author(s): Nicholas Notovitch, Virchand R Gandhi, Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: World Jain Confederation

Page 109

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.