English
(20) In truth, John's supposed Gospel seems to have been made up largely from an Apocryphal writ- ing called "The Acts of Pilate." John (21) takes (13) Luke 24, v. 13 to 31. (14) Mark 16, v. 7-13. (15) Matt. 28, V. 7-10. (16) John 19, V. 16 and 17. (17) Matt. 27, V. 32. (18) Mark 15, v. 21. (19) Ch. 23, V. 26. (20) Eev. Davidson, who wrote the article on the canon for the British Encyclopedia, tells us that the existence of John's Gospel before A. D. 140 is incapable of even a probable showing. It is said that during the persecution under Domitian, John was taken to Rome and boiled in oil. If that be true, John must be excused for his many wild statements, for after boiling ia oil his mind must have been shattered. (21) Chapter 2. 266 A QUESTION OF MIRACLES thirty-four lines to tell us of the turning of water into wine. The Acts of Pilate {22) tells the same story in twelve lines. Neither Matthew nor Mark nor Luke seem ever to have heard of this wine incident. The same is true of the healing of the nobleman's son. John (23) takes thirty lines; whereas The Acts of Pilate tells us the same in twelve lines. Chapter XI, Acts of Pilate, tells us exactly where John copied (24) the story that Nicodemus came with a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight, and assisted in the burial of Jesus. (25) In closing this chapter we may notice that Jesus' body was not dis- posed of according to either the Roman or Jewish custom. When a Roman suffered death on the cross his body was left suspended until devoured by the birds. Jesus was a Jew, and under the Jewish law he should have been buried in some place of infamy. (22) Chapter 7. (23) Chapter 4. (24) This seems to be in sharp conflict with John (ch. 19: v. 39 to 42), where John says Nicodemus assisted at the burial of (25) John 19, v. 38 to 41. CHAPTER XXIII Miracles in the Lives of Buddha and Jesus. Section i. When Buddha died we are told that there arose, "at the moment of his passing," a mighty earthquake, terrible and awe-inspiring, and the thun- ders of heaven burst forth : "That on every hand, even up to the celestial mansions, the earth spouted forth great flames of fire and the mountains and val- leys shook with the roll and crash of thunder; that from the four quarters of the earth a tempestuous wind arose, scattering dust and ashes on crags and hills in awful profusion." The sun and moon, at the same time, it is said, withdrew their light; and murmuring brooks were swollen instantly to great streams. All Kusinara (the place of Buddha's death) became immediately strewn knee-deep with mandarava flowers from heaven. Dust bins and ash heaps were covered with perfume dropped from the skies. So great was the universal sorrow that even flying dragons, as they were hurtled through the air, dropped tears of sympathy. We are told, moreover, that angels (Devas) from heaven hovered above the earth in mid-air; that, 267 268 A QUESTION OF MIRACLES "neither sorrowing nor rejoicing," they watched the impressive scene witli unwonted interest, (i) Their only grief was, it is said, that the world would soon forget the precepts of the great teacher. But there was one, the evil one — Mara-raga — who at that moment rejoiced exceedingly because Gambud- vipa (the world) was shorn of its glory. (2) All these things are said to have happened in India, not far from the Ganges, five hundred years before the attempted murder of Jesus on Golgotha, And when Jesus is taken down from the cross we meet similar extraordinary occurrences. "The veil of the temple is rent from top to bottom; graves are opened; and many bodies of the Saints which slept, arise and come out of their graves and go into the holy city and ap- pear unto many." (3) At Jesus' death, a mishap overtakes the sun, very (1) Vol. XI, Sacred Books of the East, p. 116, and Fo She, Sec. 2104 to 2114. Of course this improbable story is utterly unbelievable ; and the Hindu who wrote it ought, if within reach, to be punished for misleading Matthew and Luke. (Matt 28: v. 1 to 5. Luke 24: v. 50 to 51.) (2) The Hindu Devil had often before this begged Buddha to die. Vol. XI, S. B. E., p. 42. (3) Just who opened those graves, we are not told. Neither are we told whether those saints went back to their graves, and climbed down into darkness again, or whether they remained above the ground. Is this wonderful story true? Did flesh and blood come back to those corpses? Did articulation of the bones take place? Or did Matthew's imagination run away with him? Moreover, we must remember that Matthew and Luke are the only ones of the Gospel writers who tell this improbable story. Neither Mark nor John makes any mention of the saints getting ont of their graves. The story is too improbable for belief. A witness in court who would tell such an inconsistent tale would impeach his own evidence; Matthew impeaches himself. 8e Matt. 27: v, 51 to 53. Luke 23: t. 45. A QUESTION OF MIRACLES 269 similar to that which occurred in India, at Buddha's demise, with this difference, that in India the sun and moon both withdrew their Hght. But in Palestine the moon escapes trouble ; though later on it is to be over- taken with a great calamity, for Peter foolishly says it "shall be turned into blood." (4) Section 2. Of these remarkable men, most won- derful omens precede their coming; and their exits are likewise extraordinary. Buddha, it is said, made himself incarnate for the benefit of mankind; (5) and John goes to the extreme of saying that the world was made by Jesus. (6) There was darkness, it is said, over the whole land for three hours when Jesus died. (7) When Buddha's remains were cremated we are told that streams of water flowed down from the skies ; and at the same moment the earth from beneath opened wide and spouted other torrents upon the funeral pyre. (8) Both of these men underwent long fasts ; both were tempted by devils, and both talked to devils. But Jesus was tempted only forty days, while Mara-raga, the Hindu devil, as we have seen, tempted Buddha continuously for six terrible years. (9) (4) Acts 2, V. 20. (5) Bud. Birth Stories, p. 64 to 68, and Vol. XI, S. B. of the E., p. 90 and p. 216. (6) John 14: v. 9: "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." John 1: v. 1 to 14. John misled Paul. Philippiana 2: V. 6. (7) Luke 23: v. 44. Mark 15: v. 33. Matt. 27: v. 45. (8) Vol. XI, S. B. E., p. 130, Sacred Books of the East. (9) Matt., ch. 4. Vol. X, Sacred Books of the East; 2nd part 270 A QUESTION OF MIIL\CLES There were legions of devils in Palestine ; and the goblin troop were fully as numerous in India. The Palestine devil, it seems, possessed a keen sense of smell ; so keen, indeed, that he could not stand the fumes of the heart and liver of a fish, when burn- ing, (lo) It is not strange, therefore, that both Buddha and Jesus believed that devils were all about us. Jesus likewise believed that devils were inside of some people, but that he could cast them out. (ii) Both these men believed in "a change of heart," and both religions had their pentecostal day. (12) Strange as it may appear, hoik Buddha and Jesus, it is said, could walk on water as on dry land. (13) Buddha, so the Hindu Scriptures tell us, could pass through a stone wall "without impediment" ( ?) ; and Jesus could go through a door, ''the door being shut." (14) Buddha, it is said, could rise in mid-air and from 68 to 70; also Vol. 13, Sacred Books, p. 113 to 116. The Hindu devil, it is said, ■was sad when he failed to overcome Buddha. (10) Tobit 6, V. 17. (11) Matt. 8: v. 16; also Mark 1: v. 32; Luke 4: v. 40 and 41. (12) Acts 2: V. 1 to 13. Great king of glory, p. 252, Vol. XI. Sacred Books of the East. Hardy's Manual of Buddhism, p. 186. (13) Mark 6: v. 48 to 51. John 6: v. 19. Fo Sho, Sec. 1553. Did Mark and John copy from Fo Sho? or from whom? The Buddhist story precedes the date of Jesus more than five hundred years. (14) Fo Sho, Sec. 1553. John 20: v. 19 to 26. It is impossible to pass these absurd statements without comment and with no word of dissent. They are, without doubt, both absolutely false. A solid body passing through another solid body, whether it be a door or a stone wall, is impossible. If you say it was done by miracle, even then it is impossible. For two solid bodies cannot occupy the same space at the same time.