Parallels between Christianity and Buddhism have been noted across the ages by scholars but are now being more widely appreciated as individuals search accessible Buddhist scriptures in ancient and modern languages.^{[citation needed]} The field takes three forms: A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by...

1. parallel teachings of Buddhism and Christianity in words that appear similar and in some cases appear to share a common origin
2. parallel sayings of the Buddha and Jesus
3. general parallels between the spiritual intent and practices of Buddhism and Christianity

The three categories overlap and are seldom presented separately, although one approach has used the theologically derived Q document of the possible original words of Jesus as a basis of comparison with the supposed earliest words of the Buddha^{[citation needed]}. The process is useful insofar as it highlights direct parallels in words, albeit in modern languages. Other studies of parallels include learned analyses, most of them recent although some date back to the time of the early Church, which allegedly seems to have suppressed historical linkages between the ancient Middle-East/Greece and India.^{[citation needed]} Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion and a philosophy. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... Media:Example. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... Spirituality, in a narrow sense, concerns itself with matters of the spirit. ... Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion and a philosophy. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... The Q document or Q (from the German Quelle, source) is a postulated lost textual source for the Gospel of Matthew and Gospel of Luke. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... Media:Example. ... St. ... The traditional Middle East and the G8s Greater Middle East Political & transportation map of the traditional Middle East today The Middle East is a historical and political region of Africa-Eurasia with no clear definition. ...

Historical Interactions

Further information: History of Buddhism

The History of Buddhism spans from the 6th century BCE to the present, starting with the birth of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. ...

Mauryan Proselytizing

See also: Greco-Buddhist monasticism

Some of the Edicts of Ashoka inscriptions describe the efforts made by Ashoka to propagate the Buddhist faith throughout the major Seleucid kingdoms found throughout the middle east and Egypt. The Edicts identify the names and location of the main Greek monarchs of the time, and they are claimed as recipients of Buddhist proselytism: Antiochus II Theos of the Seleucid Kingdom (261–246 BCE), Ptolemy II Philadelphos of Egypt (285–247 BCE), Antigonus Gonatas of Macedonia (276–239 BCE), Magas of Cyrene (288–258 BCE), and Alexander II of Epirus (272–255 BCE). The role of Greek Buddhist monks in the development of the Buddhist faith under the patronage of emperor Ashoka around 260 BCE, and then during the reign of Menander is described in an important non-canonical Theravada Buddhist historical text compiled in Sri Lanka in the 6th century CE, in... The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls, made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan dynasty during his reign from 272 to 231 BCE. These inscriptions are dispersed throughout the areas of modern-day Pakistan... Allegiance: Magadhan Empire Rank: Emperor Succeeded by: Dasaratha Maurya Reign: 273 BC-232 BC Place of birth: Pataliputra, India Battles/Wars Kalinga War Emperor Ashoka the Great (Devanagari: अशोक(:); IAST transliteration: , pronunciation: ) (304 BC–232 BC) (Imperial Title:Devanampiya Piyadassi ie He who is the beloved of the Gods who, in... The Seleucid Empire was one of several political states founded after the death of Alexander the Great, whose generals squabbled over the division of Alexanders empire. ... Coin of Antiochus II. The Greek inscription reads ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ (of king Antiochus). ... Seleucus I Nicator (Nicator, the Victor) (around 358–281 BC) was one of Alexander the Greats generals who, after Alexanders death in 323 BC, founded the Seleucid Empire. ... Head of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (309-246 BC), with Arsinoë II. Ptolemy II Philadelphus (309-246 BC), was of a delicate constitution, no Macedonian warrior-chief of the old style. ... Coin of Antigonus II Gonatas (c. ... Magas of Cyrene (r. ... Alexander II, king of Epirus, succeeded his father Pyrrhus in 272 BC. He attacked Antigonus Gonatas and conquered the greater part of Macedonia, but was in turn driven out of both Epirus and Macedonia by Demetrius, the son of Antigonus. ...

Buddhist proselytism at the time of king Ashoka (260–218 BCE).

Although the philosophical systems of Buddhism and Christianity have evolved in rather different ways, the moral precepts advocated by Buddhism from the time of Ashoka through his edicts as well as the Pali Canon do have some similarities with the Christian moral precepts developed more than two centuries later: Download high resolution version (959x577, 19 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (959x577, 19 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Proselytism is the practice of attempting to convert people to another opinion, usually another religion. ... Allegiance: Magadhan Empire Rank: Emperor Succeeded by: Dasaratha Maurya Reign: 273 BC-232 BC Place of birth: Pataliputra, India Battles/Wars Kalinga War Emperor Ashoka the Great (Devanagari: अशोक(:); IAST transliteration: , pronunciation: ) (304 BC–232 BC) (Imperial Title:Devanampiya Piyadassi ie He who is the beloved of the Gods who, in...   (Sanskrit) or Dhamma (Pali) is the underlying order in nature and human life and behaviour considered to be in accord with that order. ... Å–Å…A yojana is a Vedic measure of distance, possibly somewhere from 5. ... The Cholas were the most famous of the three dynasties that ruled ancient Tamil Nadu. ... The Pandyan kingdom was an ancient state at the tip of South India, founded around the 6th century BCE. It was part of the Dravidian cultural area, which also comprised other kingdoms such as that of the Pallava, the Chera, the Chola, the Chalukya and the Vijayanagara. ... Tamraparni is an ancient region of southern India, corresponding to the area of a Tamraparni river, in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. ... The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls, made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan dynasty during his reign from 272 to 231 BCE. These inscriptions are dispersed throughout the areas of modern-day Pakistan...

• respect for life
• respect for the weak and disenfranchised
• rejection of violence
• confession
• emphasis on charity and good deeds.

Kersten contrasts the "bloodthirsty and vengeful deity" of the Old Testament's Semitic tribes with the "totally different God" who has illuminated "the philosophy behind Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, as relayed by Matthew's Gospel": Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh. ... In linguistics and ethnology, Semitic (from the Biblical Shem, Hebrew: שם, translated as name, Arabic: سام) was first used to refer to a language family of largely Middle Eastern origin, now called the Semitic languages. ...

Ashoka's pillars give us some of the earliest Buddhist ideas written in stone:

The administrative structures formed by Buddhists are also very similar:

• monasticism and communal living for spiritual adherents which adhered to principals of practicing poverty and chastity.
• early Christian Councils reminiscent in organization to the Buddhist councils.
• missionaries and missions which were first organized and established by Buddhists, all predate the early Christian organizations in the same areas where Christianity was first established (Antioch, etc.).

One theory is that these similarities may indicate the propagation of Buddhist ideals into the Western World, with the Greeks acting as intermediaries and religious syncretists.^[2] // 1st Buddhist council (5th century BC) The first Buddhist council was held soon after the death of the Buddha under the patronage of king Ajatasatru, and presided by a monk named Mahakasyapa, at Rajagaha (todays Rajgir). ...

Early Christianity, Manichaeism and Buddhism

See also: Greco-Buddhism and Buddhism and the Roman world

The story of the birth of the Buddha was well known in the West, and possibly influenced the story of the birth of Jesus: Saint Jerome (4th century CE) mentions the birth of the Buddha, who he says "was born from the side of a virgin"^[3]. Also a fragment of Archelaos of Carrha ^[4](278 CE) mentions the Buddha's virgin-birth. The Buddha, in Greco-Buddhist style, 1st-2nd century CE, Gandhara. ... Several instances of interaction between Buddhism and the Roman world are documented by Classical and early Christian writers. ... “Saint Jerome” redirects here. ...

Early 3rd-4th century Christian writers such as Hippolytus and Epiphanius write about a Scythianus, who visited India around 50 AD from where he brought "the doctrine of the Two Principles". According to these writers, Scythianus' pupil Terebinthus presented himself as a “Buddha” ("he called himself Buddas" Cyril of Jerusalem). Terebinthus went to Palestine and Judaea where he met the Apostles ("becoming known and condemned" Isaia)^[5], and ultimately settled in Babylon, where he transmitted his teachings to Mani, thereby creating the foundation of what could be called Persian syncretic Buddhism, Manicheism. We find evidence that Buddhist thought had major influence on the teachings of Mani: In Greek mythology, Hippolytus was a son of Theseus and either Antiope or Hippolyte. ... Epiphanius (clearly manifested) was the name of several early Christian scholars and ecclesiastics: Epiphanius of Salamis, bishop of Salamis in Cyprus, died 410, author of Panarion Epiphanius of Constantinople, died 535, Patriarch of Constantinople 520—535 Epiphanius Scholasticus, known only as the assistant of Cassiodorus who compiled the Historiae... According to 3rd-4th century writers such as Hippolytus and Epiphanius, Scythianus was an Alexandrian who visited India around 50 CE. Scythianus apparently lived on the border between Palestine and Arabia, and was active in trade between the Red Sea ports and India. ... Cyril of Jerusalem was a distinguished theologian of the early Church ( 315 - 386). ... The Holy Land or Palestine Showing not only the Old Kingdoms of Judea and Israel but also the 12 Tribes Distinctly, and Confirming Even the Diversity of the Locations of their Ancient Positions and Doing So as the Holy Scriptures Indicate, a geographic map from the studio of Tobiae Conradi... Desert hills in southern Judea, looking east from the town of Arad Judea or Judaea (יהודה Praise, Standard Hebrew Yəhuda, Tiberian Hebrew Yəhûḏāh) is a term used for the mountainous southern part of historic Palestine, an area now divided... Mani (in Persian & Arabic مانی) was born in Babylon, Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) which was a part of Persian Empire about 210-276 CE. He was a religious preacher and the founder of Manichaeism, an ancient Persian gnostic religion that was once prolific but is now extinct. ... Manichaeism was one of the major ancient religions. ...

In the story of the Death of Mani ^[6]:

Following Mani's travels to the Kushan Empire (several religious paintings in Bamiyan are attributed to him) at the beginning of his proselytizing career, various Buddhist influences seem to have permeated Manichaeism: Buddhist concept. ... Boundary of the Kushan empire, c. ... Bamyan is a town in central Afghanistan, the capital of Bamyan Province. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by...

The spread of Manichaeism (300– AD 500). Map reference: World History Atlas, Dorling Kindersly.

Manichaeism spread with extraordinary rapidity throughout both the east and west. It reached Rome through the apostle Psattiq by AD 280, who was also in Egypt in 244 and 251. The faith was flourishing in the Fayum area of Egypt in 290. Manichaean monasteries existed in Rome in 312 during the time of the Christian Pope Miltiades. By 354, Hilary of Poitiers wrote that the Manichaean faith was a significant force in southern France.

Also, in the Great Song of Mani (13th-14th century) Mani is many times referred to as Buddha Mani. Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as association or assembly. It is commonly used in several senses to refer to Buddhist or Jain groups. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1628x881, 170 KB)The spread of Manichaeism (300-500 CE). ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1628x881, 170 KB)The spread of Manichaeism (300-500 CE). ... Al Fayyum is one of the governorates of Egypt located in the centre of the country. ... Miltiades, or Melchiades (other forms of the name being Meltiades, Melciades, Milciades, and Miltides) was Pope from July 10, 310 or 311 to January 10 or 11, 314. ... Hilarius or Hilary (c. ... Media:Example. ... Mani may refer to: Mani Peninsula in Greece Maní, Yucatán, a small city in Yucatán, Mexico Mani, Evros, a town in the northeastern part of the Evros Prefecture in Greece Mani (prophet), a third-century Persian prophet, the founder of the dualistic Manichaean religion, which borrowed eclectically from...

One of the founding fathers of western Christianity, Augustine of Hippo was originally a Manichean. “Augustinus” redirects here. ...

In the 2nd century CE, the Christian dogmatist Clement of Alexandria recognized Bactrian Buddhists (Sramanas) and Indian Gymnosophists for their influence on Greek thought: Clement of Alexandria (Titus Flavius Clemens), was the first member of the Church of Alexandria to be more than a name, and one of its most distinguished teachers. ...

In the 2nd century CE, Saint Origen stated that Buddhists co-existed with Druids in pre-Christian Britain: Origen Origen (Greek: Ōrigénēs, 185–ca. ...

"The island (Britain) has long been predisposed to it (Christianity) through the doctrines of the Druids and Buddhists, who had already inculcated the doctrine of the unity of the Godhead" Origen, "Commentary on Ezekiel"^[7].

Origen himself seems to have been a proponent of the doctrine of rebirth and reincarnation ^[8] The doctrines of Origen were rejected by a narrow margin at the Council of Nicaea in 325. Council of Nicaea can refer to: First Council of Nicaea in AD 325 Second Council of Nicaea in AD 787 This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Events May 20 - First Council of Nicaea - first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church: The Nicene Creed is formulated, the date of Easter is discussed. ...

In the 3rd century, the Syrian writer and Christian Gnostic theologian Bar Daisan described his exchanges with the religious missions of holy men from India (Greek: Σαρμαναίοι, Sramanas), passing through Syria on their way to Elagabalus or another Severan dynasty Roman Emperor. His accounts were quoted by Porphyry (De abstin., iv, 17 ^[3]) and Stobaeus (Eccles., iii, 56, 141). This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Bar Daisan (154-222), also latinized as Bardesanes, was a Syrian gnostic and an outstanding scientist, scholar, and poet. ... A bust depicting Elagabalus. ... The Severan dynasty is a lineage of Roman Emperors, reigning several decades from the late 2nd century to the early 3rd century. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Porphyry (Greek: , c. ... Joannes Stobaeus, so called from his native place Stobi in Macedonia, was the compiler of a valuable series of extracts from Greek authors. ...

Finally, from the 3rd century to the 12th century, some Gnostic religions such as Manichaeism, which combined Christian, Hebrew and Buddhist influences (Mani, the founder of the religion, resided for some time in Kushan lands), spread throughout the Old World, to Gaul and Great Britain in the West, and to China in the East. Some leading Christian theologians such as Augustine of Hippo were Manichaeans before converting to orthodox Christianity. (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... Mani (in Persian & Arabic مانی) was born in Babylon, Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) which was a part of Persian Empire about 210-276 CE. He was a religious preacher and the founder of Manichaeism, an ancient Persian gnostic religion that was once prolific but is now extinct. ... Boundary of the Kushan empire, c. ... The Old World consists of those parts of Earth known to Europeans, Asians, and Africans before the voyages of Christopher Columbus; it includes Europe, Asia, and Africa (collectively known as Africa-Eurasia), plus surrounding islands. ... Map of Gaul circa 58 BC Gaul (Latin: ) was the name given, in ancient times, to the region of Western Europe comprising present-day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... “Augustinus” redirects here. ...

Such exchanges, many more of which may have gone unrecorded, suggest that Buddhism may have had some influence on early Christianity: "Scholars have often considered the possibility that Buddhism influenced the early development of Christianity. They have drawn attention to many parallels concerning the births, lives, doctrines, and deaths of the Buddha and Jesus" (Bentley, "Old World Encounters"). Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ...

The Greek legend of "Barlaam and Ioasaph", sometimes mistakenly attributed to the 7th century John of Damascus but actually written by the Georgian monk Euthymios in the 11th century, was ultimately derived, through a variety of intermediate versions (Arabic and Georgian) from the life story of the Buddha. The king-turned-monk Ioasaph (Georgian Iodasaph, Arabic Yūdhasaf or Būdhasaf) ultimately derives his name from the Sanskrit Bodhisattva, the name used in Buddhist accounts for Gautama before he became a Buddha. Barlaam and Ioasaph were placed in the Greek calendar of saints on 26 August, and in the West they were canonized (as "Barlaam and Josaphat") in the Roman Martyrology on the date of 27 November. Saint Josaphat is said to have lived and died in the 3rd century or 4th century in India. ... The 7th century is the period from 601 - 700 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. ... John of Damascus (Greek: Ιωάννης Δαμασκήνος/Ioannês Damaskinos; Arabic: Yaḥyā ibn Manṣūr; Latin: Iohannes Damascenus or Johannes Damascenus also known as John Damascene, Χρυσορρόας/Chrysorrhoas, streaming with gold—i. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... Arabic ( or just ) is the largest living member of the Semitic language family in terms of speakers. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... In traditional Christian iconography, Saints are often depicted as having halos. ... August 26 is the 238th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (239th in leap years). ... November 27 is the 331st day (332nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The story was translated into Hebrew in the Middle Ages as "Ben-Hamelekh Vehanazir" ("The Prince and the Nazirite"), and is widely read by Jews to this day. A Nazirite or Nazarite, (in Hebrew: נזיר,Nazir), refers to a Jew who took an ascetic vow described in Numbers 6:1-21. ...

The Sanskrit word bodhisattva is translated as nazir and in Hebrew means: ("One who abstains"); and is generally a word used for monks. Jesus too is referred throughout the Greek New Testament as a Nazarene who talks about a life of poverty and celibacy, something different than the vows of the original vow of Nazirs in Numbers 6:1-21.

Parallel Sayings

sources:^{[11] [12][13][14][15] [16]}

Dating of Texts

One of the sources of controversy in the parallel teachings has been the dating of the texts, both Buddhist and Christian. Buddhist teachings and missionaries are obviously older, however, Buddhism began with a long tradition of oral teachings which were finally put down in writing in Sri Lanka during the reign of King Vaṭṭagamiṇi (70 B.C.E.)^[17]The Ti-pitaka rendered into writing for first time at Aloka-vihara, Matale, Sri Lanka: The Fourth Buddhist Council according to Theravada tradition held in Sri Lanka.^[18] Before the scriptures were put into writing, several Buddhist councils were held in order to reach an agreement on what constituted the official canon: // 1st Buddhist council (5th century BC) The first Buddhist council was held soon after the death of the Buddha under the patronage of king Ajatasatru, and presided by a monk named Mahakasyapa, at Rajagaha (todays Rajgir). ...

The oral teachings were important as the poorest and disenfranchised were not literate, in fact, most of ancient society was illiterate and the most effective way for the teachings to be proclaimed was orally or through preaching, and so the preacher tradition begins with Buddha and the missions. The exortation "Open are the doors to the Deathless to those with ears [Ariyapariyesana Sutta] is literal, and is similarly expressed in the Jesus story, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears." (Luke 4:21) The life story of the Buddha was already being translated into Chinese around 70 A.D.:

A similar problem occurs in dating the Christian Gospels. The Gospels for a while, circulated in oral traditions:

However, a general consensus as to the timeline of putting those scriptures down in writing has been reached by most scholars trying to date the Gospels:

We can safely assume that Buddhist teachings, in particular the Pali Canon, were circulating around the world, both orally, from the time of Emperor Ashoka's missions around the world (Second Century B.C.), and written (from the time of King Vattagamini), earlier than their Christian counterparts. ^[20][21] Allegiance: Magadhan Empire Rank: Emperor Succeeded by: Dasaratha Maurya Reign: 273 BC-232 BC Place of birth: Pataliputra, India Battles/Wars Kalinga War Emperor Ashoka the Great (Devanagari: अशोक(:); IAST transliteration: , pronunciation: ) (304 BC–232 BC) (Imperial Title:Devanampiya Piyadassi ie He who is the beloved of the Gods who, in...

Aramaic and Greek Missions

Bilingual inscription (Greek and Aramaic) by king Ashoka, from Kandahar (Shar-i-kuna). Kabul Museum. Click image for translation

We might also assume that many Buddhist teachings were circulating in both Greek and Aramaic languages. In the western most part of Ashoka's empire, Edict 13, was in both Greek and Aramaic Many of the kings after Ashoka in the northwest of India were of Greek descent and strongly Buddhist, such as Menander or King Milinda^[22]. ImageMetadata File history File links AsokaKandahar. ... ImageMetadata File history File links AsokaKandahar. ... Aramaic is a Semitic language with a four-thousand year history. ... Allegiance: Magadhan Empire Rank: Emperor Succeeded by: Dasaratha Maurya Reign: 273 BC-232 BC Place of birth: Pataliputra, India Battles/Wars Kalinga War Emperor Ashoka the Great (Devanagari: अशोक(:); IAST transliteration: , pronunciation: ) (304 BC–232 BC) (Imperial Title:Devanampiya Piyadassi ie He who is the beloved of the Gods who, in... This article is about the city in Afghanistan. ... For other places with the same name, see Kabul (disambiguation). ... Aramaic is a Semitic language with a four-thousand year history. ... Bust of Menander Menander (342–291 BC) (Greek ), Greek dramatist, the chief representative of the New Comedy, was born in Athens. ... Menander I ( also known as Milinda in Sanskrit, Pali), was one of the Greek kings of the Indo-Greek Kingdom in northern India from 160 to 135 BC. A renowned Indo-Greek king His territories covered the eastern dominions of the divided Greek empire of Bactria(from the areas of...

Many scholars debate as to what language Jesus and the apostles spoke in. Many have so far concluded that Jesus spoke Aramaic and knew Hebrew.^[23] The word Hebrew most likely means to cross over, referring to the Semitic people crossing over the Euphrates River. ...

Nazir for Buddha?

The word Buddha or Bodhisatva is not once used in the New Testament. This point is not missed altogether by scholars of comparative religions. Media:Example. ... Prince Siddhartha Gautama as a bodhisattva, before becoming a Buddha. ... John 21:1 Jesus Appears to His Disciples--Alessandro Mantovani: the Vatican, Rome. ... The Major religious groups of the world. ...

Another possible explanation for this might be found in the more well known history of the spread of Buddhism in China. In China, early Buddhist missionaries explained Buddhist ideas using Taoist terminology. Many Chinese held Buddhism to be a kind of Taoism of the foreigner and so not in conflict as they shared many of the same ideas. ^[25] Media:Example. ... Alexandria (Greek: , Coptic: , Arabic: , Egyptian Arabic: Iskindireyya), (population of 3. ... Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ... Dharma (Sanskrit) or Dhamma (Pāli) in Buddhism has two primary meanings: the teachings of the Buddha which lead to enlightenment the constituent factors of the experienced world In East Asia, the character for Dharma is 法, pronounced fÇŽ in Mandarin and hō in Japanese. ... Look up logos in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Triratna or Three Jewels symbol, on a Buddha footprint. ... Media:Example. ...   (Sanskrit) or Dhamma (Pali) is the underlying order in nature and human life and behaviour considered to be in accord with that order. ... Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as association or assembly. It is commonly used in several senses to refer to Buddhist or Jain groups. ... For other uses, see Trinity (disambiguation). ... For other uses of the words tao and dao, see Dao (disambiguation). ...

An early circular ichthys symbol, created by combining the Greek letters ΙΧΘΥΣ, forming an eight-spoked wheel also known as the Dharmachakra in Buddhism

A similar integration or intermingling of Buddhist teachings generally happened in many of the different lands where missionaries were sent, including Tibet with the Bon traditions and in Japan with Shinto traditions. Image File history File links Ephesus_Ichthys. ... Image File history File links Ephesus_Ichthys. ... The ichthys or fish symbol represents Christianity Ichthys (Greek: ; also transliterated and latinized as ichthys, icthus, ichthus or ikhthus; ichthus, spelled: Iota Chi Theta Upsilon Sigma), is the Ancient and Classical Greek word for fish. ... It has been suggested that Dharma-chakra be merged into this article or section. ... Tibet (older spelling Thibet; Tibetan: བོད་; Wylie: Bod; Lhasa dialect IPA: [; Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 西藏, Hanyu Pinyin: XÄ«zàng; also referred to as 藏区 (Simplified Chinese), 藏區 (Traditional Chinese), ZàngqÅ« (Hanyu Pinyin), see Name section below) is a plateau region in Central Asia and the indigenous home to the Tibetan people. ... Bon can refer to: Abbreviation for Business Object Notation The Bon programming language The original spiritual tradition of Tibet and Tibetan people, called Bön A village in Chad The late singer of AC/DC, Bon Scott This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages... Shinto ) is the native religion of Japan and was once its state religion. ...

In the middle eastern regions where Christianity began such as Antioch, many of the kingdoms were ruled by a small minority of Greco-Seleucid rulers with subjects of a Jewish majority. Jewish terminology and myths to explain Buddhist metaphysical ideas might have been utilized by Buddhist missionaries. Antioch on the Orontes (Greek: Αντιόχεια η επί Δάφνη, Αντιόχεια η επί Ορόντου or Αντιόχεια η Μεγάλη; Latin: Antiochia ad Orontem, also Antiochia dei Siri), the Great Antioch or Syrian Antioch was an ancient city located on the eastern side (left bank) of the Orontes River about 30 km from the sea and its port, Seleucia Pieria. ... The Seleucid Empire was one of several political states founded after the death of Alexander the Great, whose generals squabbled over the division of Alexanders empire. ...

Evidence of such a possibility presents itself in the Greek legend of "Barlaam and Ioasaph". The Hebrew translation of this text in the middle ages, is called "Ben-Hamelekh Vehanazir" ("The Prince and the Nazirite") or the "Prince and the Nazirite". The Sanskrit word bodhisatva is completely replaced with the word "Nazir" and in Hebrew means: ("One who abstains"); and generally became a word used for monks by the middle ages. Jesus too is referred throughout the Greek New Testament as a Nazarene and a celibate who tells his disciples to leave all material things behind if they want to be his disciple in several places in the New Testament. This was something entirely different from the Judaic tradition mentioned in Numbers 6:1-21. Saint Josaphat is said to have lived and died in the 3rd century or 4th century in India. ... -1... A Nazirite or Nazarite, (in Hebrew: נזיר,Nazir), refers to a Jew who took an ascetic vow described in Numbers 6:1-21. ... Nazarene may refer to: an artist in the Nazarene movement a member of the Church of the Nazarene. ...

Later influences

The Baptism of Christ, by Piero della Francesca, 1449

Praying Hands by Albrecht Dürer showing the hand position of a medieval commendation ceremony.

The use of rosaries spread from India to Europe during the Crusades through the Islamic versions. The Baptism of Jesus Christ, by Piero della Francesca, 1449 This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... The Baptism of Jesus Christ, by Piero della Francesca, 1449 This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... The Baptism of Christ, 1450 (National Gallery, London). ... Events January 6 - Constantine XI is crowned Byzantine Emperor. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (710x1038, 207 KB) Description: Title: de: Betende Hände (Studie zu einer Apostelfigur des Heller-Altars) en: Praying Hands (study for an Apostle figure of the Heller altar) Technique: de: Pinselzeichnung auf blau grundiertem Papier en: brush drawing on blue primed... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (710x1038, 207 KB) Description: Title: de: Betende Hände (Studie zu einer Apostelfigur des Heller-Altars) en: Praying Hands (study for an Apostle figure of the Heller altar) Technique: de: Pinselzeichnung auf blau grundiertem Papier en: brush drawing on blue primed... Albrecht Dürer (pronounced /al. ... Charlemagne receiving the oath of fidelity and homage from one of his great vassals:facsimile of a monochrome miniature in a 14th century Ms of the Chronicles of St. ... Our Lady of Lourdes - Mary appearing at Lourdes with Rosary beads. ... This article is about the medieval crusades. ...

When the Catholic missionary Francis Xavier started preaching to the Japanese, he used the word Dainichi to inculturate the notion of the Christian God. However, when he learnt that the Japanese used Dainichi for the Buddha Vairocana, he changed to use Deusu from Portuguese and Latin Deus, avoiding confusion of Christianity and Shingon Buddhism. This does not cite its references or sources. ... Categories: Stub | Buddhist philosophical concepts ... The term God is used to designate a Supreme Being, however, there are countless definitions of God. ... This article is about the primordial Buddha Vairocana. ... Shingon (眞言,真言), also called Japanese Esoteric Buddhism, is a major school of Japanese Buddhism, and one of two major sub-schools of Vajrayana Buddhism, the other being Tibetan Buddhism. ...

Prayer postures are also quite generally associated with a particular religious tradition. Prayer with both the palms touching one another is called the "Anjali Mudra" in Indian spiritual traditions, and is a common greeting and prayer posture in all Indian spiritual traditions, including Buddhism, but is absent in Jewish traditions, whose scriptures mention raised or clasped hands^[28]. However, we find this prayer position found in Christian art from the middle ages, considered a common prayer posture of Christianity^[29] Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion and a philosophy. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination...

Religious symbolism

The use of rosaries spread from India to Europe during the Crusades through the Islamic versions. ^[30] Our Lady of Lourdes - Mary appearing at Lourdes with Rosary beads. ... This article is about the medieval crusades. ...

When the Catholic missionary Francis Xavier started preaching to the Japanese, he used the word Dainichi to inculturate the notion of the Christian God. However, when he learnt that the Japanese used Dainichi for the Buddha Vairocana, he changed to use Deusu from Portuguese and Latin Deus, avoiding confusion of Christianity and Shingon Buddhism. ^[31] This does not cite its references or sources. ... Categories: Stub | Buddhist philosophical concepts ... Inculturation the incarnation of the Gospel in native cultures and also the introduction of these cultures into the life of the Church Source: John Paul II, encyclical Slavorum Apostoli, June 2, 1985, No. ... The term God is used to designate a Supreme Being, however, there are countless definitions of God. ... This article is about the primordial Buddha Vairocana. ... Shingon (眞言,真言), also called Japanese Esoteric Buddhism, is a major school of Japanese Buddhism, and one of two major sub-schools of Vajrayana Buddhism, the other being Tibetan Buddhism. ...

Prayer with both the palms touching one another is called the "Anjali Mudra" in Indian spiritual traditions, and is a common greeting and prayer posture in all Indian spiritual traditions, including Buddhism, but is absent in Jewish traditions, whose scriptures mention raised or clasped hands.^[32] However, we find this prayer position found in Christian art from the middle ages, considered a common prayer posture of Christianity^[33] Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion and a philosophy. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination...

In literature

H.G. Wells in his Outline of History draws strong parallels between the essential message of both Buddha and Jesus main:love thy neignbor, and how that message was distorted by followers and the priesthood. Durant in his The Story of Philosophy suggests that Jesus-Buddha is the feminine ideology, Nietzsche the masculine and Plato-Socrates somewhere in between. Paul Carus' 1894 The Gospel of Buddha was modeled on the New Testament and told the story of Buddha through parables. H. G. Wells at the door of his house at Sandgate Herbert George Wells (September 21, 1866 - August 13, 1946) was an English writer best known for his science fiction novels such as The War of the Worlds and The Time Machine. ... The goal of H. G. Wells in The Outline of History was stated in the subtitle: Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind. Wells was very dissatisfied with the quality of history textbooks at the end of World War I, and so, between 1918 and 1919 produced a 1... Also see: Durant (automobile) Durant, Iowa Durant, Mississippi Durant Motors Durant, Oklahoma Will Durant and Ariel Durant This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Story of Philosophy: the Lives and Opinions of the Greater Philosophers is a book by Will Durant that profiles several prominent Western philosophers and their ideas, beginning with Plato and on through Friedrich Nietzsche. ... Paul Carus (1852‑1919). ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ...

Scholars on the Parallels

"With the remarkable exception of the death of Jesus on the cross, and of the doctrine of atonement by vicarious suffering, which is absolutely excluded by Buddhism, the most ancient of the Buddhistic records known to us contain statements about the life and the doctrines of Gautama Buddha which correspond in a remarkable manner, and impossibly by mere chance, with the traditions recorded in the Gospels about the life and doctrines of Jesus Christ...." (Ernest De Bunsen, The Angel Messiah of Buddhists, Essenes and Christians (London, 1880), p. 50.) It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... For other uses, see Atonement (disambiguation). ...

"Lamaism with its shaven priests, its bells and rosaries, its images and holy water, its popes and bishops, its abbots and monks of many grades, its processions and feast days, its confessional and purgatory, and its worship of the double Virgin, so strongly resembles Romanism that the first Catholic missionaries thought it must be an imitation by the devil of the religion of Christ." The Encyclopedia Britannica. Tibetan Buddhism, (formerly also called Lamaism after their religious gurus known as lamas), is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and the Himalayan region. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Our Lady of Lourdes - Mary appearing at Lourdes with Rosary beads. ... St. ... This refers to the Roman Catholic practice. ... Illustration for Dantes Purgatorio (18), by Gustave Doré. Dante described purgatory as having seven terraces, each to purge a different sin. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Satan frozen at the center of Cocytus, the ninth circle of Hell in Dantes Inferno. ...

"These points of agreement with the Gospel narrative arouse curiosity and require explanation. If we could prove that they [the legends of Buddha] were unknown in the East for some centuries after Christ, the explanation would be easy. But all the evidence we have gone to prove the contrary...." (Samuel Beal, pp. viii-ix.) Samuel Beal (1825-89) was an Oriental scholar, and the first Englishman to translate direct from the Chinese the early records of Buddhism, thus throwing light upon Indian history. ...

"Between the language of The Buddha and his disciples, and the language of Christ and his apostles, there are strange coincidences. Even some Buddhist legends and parables sound as if taken from the New Testament, though we know that many of them existed before the beginning of the Christian era." (Max Muller, Introduction to the Science of Religion (London, 1873), p. 243) Max Müller Friedrich Max Müller (December 6, 1823 – October 28, 1900), more commonly known as Max Müller, was a German Orientalist, one of the founders of Indian studies, who virtually created the discipline of comparative religion. ...

"Approximately five centuries older than Christianity, by the time of the birth of Christ, Buddhism had already spread through much of India and Ceylon and had penetrated into Central Asia and China." (Kenneth Scott Latourette, A History of Christianity (New York, 1975), p. 274.) Kenneth Scott Latourette was an American academic historian and historiographer who specialized mainly in the History of Christianity and the History of China. ...

"The miraculous births of Buddha, his life and instructions, contain a great number of the moral and dogmatic truths professed in Christianity." (M. L'Abbe Huc, Christianity in China, Tartary, and Thibet (London, 1857), p. 327.) Évariste Régis Huc, or Abbé Huc, (August 1, 1813 - March 31, 1860) was a French missionary-traveller, famous for his travel accounts in Souvenirs dun voyage dans la Tartarie, le Thibet, et la Chine pendant les années 1844—1846. ...

...nothing now remains for the honest man to do but acknowledge the truth, which is that the history of Jesus of Nazareth[,] as related in the books of the New Testament, is simply a copy of that of Buddha, with a mixture of mythology borrowed from other nations." (T.W. Doane, "Bible Myths" (New York, 1882), p. 286)

"There are many moral precepts equally commanded and enforced in common by both creeds. It will not be rash to assert that most of the moral truths prescribed in the gospel are to be met with in the Buddhistic scriptures." Paul Ambroise Bigandet, the Catholic Bishop of Ramatha Ramatha is the name of a former Roman Catholic titular bishopric in Palestine. ...

"In reading the particulars of the life of Buddha it is impossible not to feel reminded of many circumstances relating to our Savior's life as sketched by the evangelists. It may be said in favor of Buddhism that no philosophic-religious system has ever upheld to an equal degree the notions of a savior and deliverer, and the necessity of his mission for procuring the salvation of man." Catholic Bishop Bigandet

"He [Buddha] requires humility, disregard of worldly wealth, patience and resignation in adversity, love to enemies ... non-resistance to evil, confession of sins and conversion." Bishop Jean Paul Hilaire

References

1. ^ Holger Kersten, Jesus Lived in India. His Unknown Life Before and After the Crucifixion, Element, Reprint 1999.
2. ^ Historical interactions from: The Buddhism Omnibus, Oxford University Press 2004, ISBN 0-19-566898-7
3. ^ Jerome-Against-Jovinianus, 815, Online Viewing: http://www.patriarchywebsite.com/bib-patriarchy/Jerome-Against-Jovinianus.txt
4. ^ Latin Sources: Archelaus (Bishop of Cascar in Mesopotamia, d. about 278): Acta Disputationis cum Manete Haeresiarcha; first written in Syriac, and so far belonging to the Oriental Christian Sources (Comp. Jerome, de Vir. Ill. 72), but extant only in a Latin translation, which seems to have been made from the Greek, edited by Zacagni (Rome, 1698), and Routh (in Reliquiae Sacrae, vol. V. 3-206); Eng. transl. in Clark's Ante-Nicene Library (vol. XX. 272-419). [Am. ed. vol. VI. p. 173 sq.].
5. ^ Catechetical Lecture 6 CONCERNING THE UNITY OF GOD. ON THE ARTICLE, I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD. ALSO CONCERNING HERESIES.ISAIAH xlv. 16, 17. (Sept.)
6. ^ According to the Gnostic Bible by Willis Barnstone, here is one of many authenticating references proving the centrality of Buddhism in Mani's formulation of Gnosticism
7. ^ Mentioned in Mackenzie, Donald A., Buddhism in pre-Christian Britain, p42
8. ^ "Is it not rational that souls should be introduced into bodies in accordance with their merits and previous deeds, and that those who have used their bodies in doing the utmost possible good should have a right to bodies endowed with qualities superior to the bodies of others?" "The soul, which is immaterial and invisible in its nature, exists in no material place without having a body suited to the nature of that place; accordingly, it at one time puts off one body, which is necessary before, but which is no longer adequate in its changed state, and it exchanges it for a second." (Origen, Contra Celsum, also discussed in Des Principiis)
9. ^ this is also found in Dhammapada verse 398, the word used in Pali: ukkhittapaligham, Sanskrit: utksiptaparikham
10. ^ The Greek word used is "stauros," which does not mean cross, but rather stake. Was he crucified on a cross, or an individual stake?A: The cross was never used in early Christianity. The closest was the symbol "chi rho." It was understood that the "stauros" was a stake. The embellishment of the cross came later, and the crucifix after that. FAQ Bible Study New Testament (No. 58) (Edition 1.1 20000630-20011206) http://www.ccg.org/English/s/p058.html
11. ^ *Elmar R. Gruber & Holger Kersten. The Original Jesus: The Buddhist Sources of Christianity
12. ^ Suns of God: Krishna, Buddha and Christ Unveiled, Acharya S.
13. ^ Jesus and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings (Seastone Series) (Paperback) by Marcus J. Borg (Editor), Ray Riegert (Editor), Jack Kornfield (Introduction)
14. ^ Blavatsky Collected Writings Volume 14 introduction by Boris DeZirkoff Excerpt- http://www.blavatsky.net/blavatsky/bcw/vol14/mystery-about-buddha.htm
15. ^ Holger Kersten, Jesus Lived in India. His Unknown Life Before and After the Crucifixion, Element, Reprint 1999
16. ^ Holger Kersten, 'Buddhist Thought in the Teachings of Jesus'
17. ^ http://www.buddhistdoor.com/bdoor/archive/nutshell/teach40.htm
18. ^ http://www.palikanon.com/english/timetable.htm
19. ^ Andrew Bernhard "Dating Early Christian Gospels" Journal of Biblical Studies [1] 1:4 2001
20. ^ Thomas, Edward J. The Life of Buddha, as Legend and History. Routledge & Kegan Paul: London, 1975
21. ^ Skilton, Andrew. A Concise History of Buddhism. Windhorse Publications: Birmingham, United Kingdom, 1994. Reprinted by Barnes & Noble
22. ^ see Greco-Buddhism
23. ^ The Earliest Gospel by Frederick C. Grant http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=1940&C=1761
24. ^ ibid, Kersten
25. ^ The Cambridge History of China, Vol.1, (The Ch'in and Han Empires, 221 B.C.-A.D. 220) ISBN 0-521-24327-0 hardback
26. ^ (ibid, Kersten)
27. ^ Title : Did Buddhism influence early Christianity? Author : N. S. Chandramouli Publication : The Times of India Date : May 1, 1997
28. ^ From How to Pray by Helene Ciaravino (Garden City Park, New York: Square One Publishers Excerpt: http://www.christiangateway.com/community/prayer/articles/f_lib_article_hc_christian.html)
29. ^ Ibid
30. ^ Crooke, William (1904). Things Indian: Being Discursive Notes on Various Subjects Connected with India. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. Retrieved on 2007-01-14. 
31. ^ Sansom, Sir George Bailey (1943). Japan: A Short Cultural History. New York: D. Appleton-Century company. Retrieved on 2007-01-14. 
32. ^ Ciaravino, Helene. How to Pray. Garden City Park, NY: Square One. 
33. ^ Ibid

Reference: Lindsay Falvey (2002) The Buddha’s Gospel: A Buddhist Interpretation of Jesus’ Words. Institute for International Development Fund, Adelaide. 108pp.http://www.iid/publications/buddhasgospel.pdf Jerome De viris illustribus (On Illustrious Men) is a collection of short biographies of 135 authors, written in Latin, by the 4th century Illyrian author Jerome. ... The Dhammapada (Pali, translates as Path of the Dharma. ... The Buddha, in Greco-Buddhist style, 1st-2nd century CE, Gandhara. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Lindsay Falvey John Lindsay Falvey (born May 23, 1950) known as Lindsay Falvey, is a writer and author on topics concerning agricultural philosophy, religion and international development. ... Media:Example. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... The Institute for International Development is an Australian company limited by guarantee, which operates as a not-for-profit to provide professional services in support of equitable international development. ...

Further reading

• Blavatsky, H. P. Isis Unveiled (1877)
• J. Duncan M. Derrett. The Bible and the Buddhists. Sardini 2000. ISBN 88-7506-174-2 [5] [6]
• Richard Garbe: Indien und das Christentum [7]
• Elmar R. Gruber & Holger Kersten. The Original Jesus: The Buddhist Sources of Christianity.
• Streeter, Burnett H., The Buddha and The Christ, an Exploration of the Meaning of the Universe and of the Purpose of Human Life, Macmillan and Co., London, 1932.
• Allegro, John, The Mystery of the Dead Sea Scrolls Revised, Grammercy Publishing Co., New York, 1981 (first published Penguin Books, 1956).
• Amore, Roy C., Two Masters, One Message, The Lives and the Teachings of Gautama and Jesus, Parthenon Press, Nashville, 1978.
• de Silva, Lynn, A., The Problem of the Self in Buddhism and Christianity, Macmillan Press, London, 1979. -Reincarnation in Buddhist and Christian Thought, 1968.
• Haring, Hermann & Metz, Johann-Baptist, eds., Reincarnation or Resurrection?, SCM Press, Maryknoll, 1993.
• Head, Joseph, & Cranston, S.L., eds., Reincarnation An East-West Anthology (Including quotations from the world's religions & from over 400 western thinkers), Julian Press, New York, 1961.
• Howe, Quincy, Jr., Reincarnation for the Christian, Westminster Press, Philadelphia, 1974.
• Leaney, A.R.C., ed., A Guide to the Scrolls, Nottinham Studies on the Qumran Discoveries, SCM Book Club, Naperville, Ill., 1958.
• Lefebure, Leo D., The Buddha and the Christ, Explorations in Buddhist and Christian Dialogue (Faith Meets Faith Series), Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York, 1993.
• Lillie, Arthur, Buddhism in Christendom or Jesus, the Essene, Unity Book Service, New Delhi, 1984 (first published in 1887). *India in Primitive Christianity, Kegan House Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., 1909.
• Lopez, Donald S. & Rockefeller, Steven C., eds., The Christ and the Bodhisattva, State University of New York, 1987. Phan, *Peter, ed., Christianity and the Wider Ecumenism, Paragon House, New York, 1990.
• Pye, Michael & Morgan, Robert, eds., The Cardinal Meaning, Essays in Comparative Hermeneutics: Buddhism and Christianity, *Mouton & Co., Netherlands, 1973.
• Radhakrishnan, S., Eastern Religions in Western Thought, Oxford University Press, 1939.
• Siegmund, Georg, Buddhism and Christianity, A Preface to Dialogue, Sister Mary Frances McCarthy, trans., University of Alabama Press, 1968.
• Smart, Ninian, Buddhism and Christianity: Rivals and Allies, Macmillan, London, 1993.
• Tambyah, Isaac T., A Comparative Study of Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity, Indian Book Gallery, Delhi, 1983 (first edition 1925).
• Yu, Chai-shin, Early Buddhism and Christianity, A comparative Study of the Founders' Authority, the Community, and the Discipline, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1981.

Isis Unveiled, a master-key to the mysteries of ancient and modern science and theology, published in 1877, was Helena Petrovna Blavatskys first major book. ...

External links

• The Buddhist Influence in Christian Origins

References

1. ^ Holger Kersten, Jesus Lived in India. His Unknown Life Before and After the Crucifixion, Element, Reprint 1999.
2. ^ Historical interactions from: The Buddhism Omnibus, Oxford University Press 2004, ISBN 0-19-566898-7
3. ^ Jerome-Against-Jovinianus, 815, Online Viewing: http://www.patriarchywebsite.com/bib-patriarchy/Jerome-Against-Jovinianus.txt
4. ^ Latin Sources: Archelaus (Bishop of Cascar in Mesopotamia, d. about 278): Acta Disputationis cum Manete Haeresiarcha; first written in Syriac, and so far belonging to the Oriental Christian Sources (Comp. Jerome, de Vir. Ill. 72), but extant only in a Latin translation, which seems to have been made from the Greek, edited by Zacagni (Rome, 1698), and Routh (in Reliquiae Sacrae, vol. V. 3-206); Eng. transl. in Clark's Ante-Nicene Library (vol. XX. 272-419). [Am. ed. vol. VI. p. 173 sq.].
5. ^ Catechetical Lecture 6 CONCERNING THE UNITY OF GOD. ON THE ARTICLE, I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD. ALSO CONCERNING HERESIES.ISAIAH xlv. 16, 17. (Sept.)
6. ^ According to the Gnostic Bible by Willis Barnstone, here is one of many authenticating references proving the centrality of Buddhism in Mani's formulation of Gnosticism
7. ^ Mentioned in Mackenzie, Donald A., Buddhism in pre-Christian Britain, p42
8. ^ "Is it not rational that souls should be introduced into bodies in accordance with their merits and previous deeds, and that those who have used their bodies in doing the utmost possible good should have a right to bodies endowed with qualities superior to the bodies of others?" "The soul, which is immaterial and invisible in its nature, exists in no material place without having a body suited to the nature of that place; accordingly, it at one time puts off one body, which is necessary before, but which is no longer adequate in its changed state, and it exchanges it for a second." (Origen, Contra Celsum, also discussed in Des Principiis)
9. ^ this is also found in Dhammapada verse 398, the word used in Pali: ukkhittapaligham, Sanskrit: utksiptaparikham
10. ^ The Greek word used is "stauros," which does not mean cross, but rather stake. Was he crucified on a cross, or an individual stake?A: The cross was never used in early Christianity. The closest was the symbol "chi rho." It was understood that the "stauros" was a stake. The embellishment of the cross came later, and the crucifix after that. FAQ Bible Study New Testament (No. 58) (Edition 1.1 20000630-20011206) http://www.ccg.org/English/s/p058.html
11. ^ *Elmar R. Gruber & Holger Kersten. The Original Jesus: The Buddhist Sources of Christianity
12. ^ Suns of God: Krishna, Buddha and Christ Unveiled, Acharya S.
13. ^ Jesus and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings (Seastone Series) (Paperback) by Marcus J. Borg (Editor), Ray Riegert (Editor), Jack Kornfield (Introduction)
14. ^ Blavatsky Collected Writings Volume 14 introduction by Boris DeZirkoff Excerpt- http://www.blavatsky.net/blavatsky/bcw/vol14/mystery-about-buddha.htm
15. ^ Holger Kersten, Jesus Lived in India. His Unknown Life Before and After the Crucifixion, Element, Reprint 1999
16. ^ Holger Kersten, 'Buddhist Thought in the Teachings of Jesus'
17. ^ http://www.buddhistdoor.com/bdoor/archive/nutshell/teach40.htm
18. ^ http://www.palikanon.com/english/timetable.htm
19. ^ Andrew Bernhard "Dating Early Christian Gospels" Journal of Biblical Studies [2] 1:4 2001
20. ^ Thomas, Edward J. The Life of Buddha, as Legend and History. Routledge & Kegan Paul: London, 1975
21. ^ Skilton, Andrew. A Concise History of Buddhism. Windhorse Publications: Birmingham, United Kingdom, 1994. Reprinted by Barnes & Noble
22. ^ see Greco-Buddhism
23. ^ The Earliest Gospel by Frederick C. Grant http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=1940&C=1761
24. ^ ibid, Kersten
25. ^ The Cambridge History of China, Vol.1, (The Ch'in and Han Empires, 221 B.C.-A.D. 220) ISBN 0-521-24327-0 hardback
26. ^ (ibid, Kersten)
27. ^ Title : Did Buddhism influence early Christianity? Author : N. S. Chandramouli Publication : The Times of India Date : May 1, 1997
28. ^ From How to Pray by Helene Ciaravino (Garden City Park, New York: Square One Publishers Excerpt: http://www.christiangateway.com/community/prayer/articles/f_lib_article_hc_christian.html)
29. ^ Ibid
30. ^ Crooke, William (1904). Things Indian: Being Discursive Notes on Various Subjects Connected with India. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. Retrieved on 2007-01-14. 
31. ^ Sansom, Sir George Bailey (1943). Japan: A Short Cultural History. New York: D. Appleton-Century company. Retrieved on 2007-01-14. 
32. ^ Ciaravino, Helene. How to Pray. Garden City Park, NY: Square One. 
33. ^ Ibid