The Influence of Buddhism on Primitive Christianity — John Shaqi
The Influence of Buddhism on Primitive ChristianityLillie, Arthur
Religion
The Influence of Buddhism on Primitive Christianity
Lillie, Arthur
Buddhism; Christianity and other religions -- Buddhism
But a still more striking instance is given in the case of the man sick
with the palsy. (Luke v. 18.) The Jews believed, with modern Orientals,
that grave diseases like paralysis were due, not to physical causes in
this life, but to moral causes in previous lives. And if the account
of the cure of the paralytic is to be considered historical, it is
quite clear that this was Christ's idea when He cured the man, for He
distinctly announced that the cure was affected not by any physical
processes, but by annulling the "sins" which were the cause of his
malady.
Traces of the metempsychosis idea still exist in Catholic
Christianity. The doctrine of original sin is said by some writers
to be a modification of it. Certainly the fancy that the works of
supererogation of their saints can be transferred to others is the
Buddhist idea of good karma, which is transferable in a similar manner.
"IF THE BLIND LEAD THE BLIND, BOTH SHALL FALL INTO THE DITCH." (Matt.
xv. 14.)
"As when a string of blind men are clinging one to the other, neither
can the foremost see, nor the middle one see, nor the hindmost see.
Just so, methinks, Vâsittha is the talk of the Brahmins versed in the
Three Vedas." (Buddha, in the "Tevigga Sutta," i. 15.)
"EUNUCHS FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN'S SAKE."
In the days of St. Thomas à Kempis the worshipper was modelled on the
Christ. In our days, the Christ seems modelled on the worshipper. The
Bodleian professor of Sanscrit writes thus: "Christianity teaches that
in the highest form of life love is intensified. Buddhism teaches that
in the highest state of existence all love is extinguished. According
to Christianity--Go and earn your own bread and support yourself and
your family. Marriage, it says, is honourable and undefiled, and
married life a field where holiness can grow."
But history is history; and a French writer has recently attacked
Christ for attempting to bring into Europe the celibacy and pessimism
of Buddhism. This author in his work, "Jésus Bouddha," cites Luke xiv.
26:--
"If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and
_wife_, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life
also, he cannot be My disciple."
He adduces also:--
"Let the dead bury their dead."
"Think not that I have come to send peace on earth: I come not to send
peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his
father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law
against her mother-in-law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own
household." (Matt. x. 34-36.)
"And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father
the child; and the children shall rise up against their parents, and
cause them to be put to death." (_Ibid._ ver. 21.)
"So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he
hath, he cannot be my disciple." (Luke xiv. 33).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account