Unknown Life of Jesus Christ Old Edition 1894 Publication

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

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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.