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A QUESTION OF MIRACLES 271 walk to and fro, and Jesus finally, it is said, ascended in the air. (15) Jesus did not believe in the divine origin of the old Hebrew scriptures, or his doctrines would have con- formed to them. He preached, in short, a reformation of those old records. His doctrine was not "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," but "if a man smite thee on one cheek, turn to him the other also." The law and the prophets, he said, were until John. (16) Neither did Buddha believe in the divine origin and authority of the Veda (the Hindu Bible), and for this he was called a heretic. (17) As we have heretofore observed, even the nativity of these two men is strikingly similar. A star came and stood over the place where Jesus was born ; and a star, five hundred years before this, likewise came down to welcome Buddha; and a Hindu writer goes to the extreme of naming Pushya as the very star (18) that came down. Section 3. Heretofore we have seen that when (15) Mark 6: v. 48. Fo Sho, Sec. 1553. John 6: v, 19. (16) Luke 16, v. 16. (17) Max Muller, S. K. Lit, p. 77 to 82. Luke 16: v. 16. "No man," he said, "putteth new wine into old bottlea. " (Matt. 9: v. 17.) (18) Vol. XXXV, Sacred Books of the East, p. 271. Fo Sho, Intro., p. 18 to 20. Vol. XI, Sacred Books of the East, p. 46. See also the chapter on the "Foundation of the Kingdom of Eighteousness, " Vol. XI, Sacred Books of the East, p. 146 and p. 243. Both of these stories about the stara we know to be false. The Hindu writer misled Matthew. 272 A QUESTION OF MIRACLES Jesus was born, the angel of the Lord proclaimed good tidings of great joy; and immediately a heavenly host appeared, saying, "Peace on earth, good will toward men"; that after that song (a blessed song, whether sung by angels or not) the angels "went back into heaven." (19) We have also seen that when Buddha was born, he himself proclaimed that he "was born to save the world." Instantly two streams of water, one warm, the other cold, poured dov^^n from heaven and baptized him. (?) At that moment the Devas (Angels) raised their heavenly songs, and, descending from Heaven, they pressed so near the child, it is said, that their gar- ments absolutely touched his body. Angelic music, at that moment, was heard on earth and in the skies. Both of these men are declared to have had exist- ences previous to their appearance on earth. The Hindu scriptures tell us, with much particularity, that Buddha was enjoying himself in the Tusita heaven, when archangels from ten thousand world systems ap- peared before him and notified him that the moment for his advent had arrived. Here now he surpasses Jesus; for such was his great virtue and power that he could choose not only the continent in which his birth was to take place, but even the mother that was to bear him. He had undergone many incarnations; but this was to be his last. In short, an inhabitant of heaven, if this be true, (19) Luke 2: V. 13 to 16. A QUESTION OF MIRACLES 273 forsook his blissful abode and came to earth to teach mankind "the way of salvation"; and the salvation which Buddha taught meant a "change of heart (20) and a higher hfe." (21) Jesus, likewise, so we are told, came down from heaven. "Not to do," he said, "mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And this is the Father's will that sent me. Every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, shall have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (22) But this is not all ; for we are told that Jesus, in fact, "made the world"; and Second Timothy, ch. i, v. 9, says Jesus was "before the world began." Paul, when he wrote First Corinthians, ch. 8, v. 69, was again misled by John as to the creation of all things. And when Paul wrote to the Hebrews, ch. i, v. 2, he likewise followed a false light. (23) But notwithstanding all these questionable state- ments, Jesus, it is said, was made "a little lower than (20) Vol. XXXV, Sacred Books of the East, p. 271. Fo She, Intro., p. 18 to 20. Vol. XI, S. B. E., p. 46. The chapter on the "Foundation of the Kingdom of Righteousness," Vol XI, S. B. E., p. 146 and p 243. (21) Vol. XI, Sacred Books of the East, p. 187. (22) John, ch. 6: v. 38 to 41; John 10: v. 30; John 17: v. 11. The Jews murmured at this. They did not believe it, and as the last day has not yet come, those sleepers are still in their graves. (23) John had probably read the curious and extravagant things told of Buddha, and determined to surpass them, which he Burely did. But John was either dishonest or wildly chimerical, when he said Jesus made all things (ch. 1: v. 3) — meaning not one world, but all the millions of worlds. Neither Buddha nor any other of his disciples goes to the foolish extravagance of John (ch. 1: v. 3 to 10). 274 A QUESTION OF MIRACLES the angels." (24) Just here John and 1-aul hardly agree. How is it that Paul makes Jesus lower than the angels ? The real words of those two great teachers we do not probai^ly know. But of this we are certain : that the Sermon on the Mount, while it is one of the most beautiful compositions in all the world, is made up almost entirely from old maxims, aphorisms, precepts and proverbs, etc., that preceded Jesus' day. He said, "As ye would have men do to you, do you also unto them." But Tobit, one hundred and fifty years before Jesus came, had uttered a similar thought ; and Hillel, born about seventy-five years before Jesus, declared it to be the essence of the law, the very keystone of the arch. (25) Section 4. Leviticus said, "Love thy neighbors as thyself"; Jesus went beyond this and said, "Love your enemies" ; Buddha said, "Conquer your foe by force, you increase his enmity; conquer by love, and you will reap no after-sorrow." (26) Moreover, Buddha said, "Let your light shine be- fore the world that you. having embraced the religious life, may be seen to be forbearing and mild. {2y) (24) Ch. 2: v. 7 to 10, Paul to the Hebrews. Is this compat- ible with Matt., ch. 3: v. 16 and 17, where a voice from heaven eaid: "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased." John 6: v. 38. (25) Luke 6: v. 31. Matt. 7: v. 12. Tobit, ch. 4: v. 6 to 16. Talmud Bab., 31 to 61. Perkeaboth, ch. 1 and 2. Talmud Jeru- salem. (26) Levit., ch. 19: v. 18. Matt. 5: v. 44. Fo Sho, Sec. 2241, and Vol. XVII, p 307, Sacred Books of the East. (27) Vol. 17, p. 305, Sacred Books of the East. A QUESTION OF MIRACLES 275 Did Jesus copy him when he said, "Let your Hght so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" ? (28) Buddha said, 'There are beings whose words can- not fail : there is no deviation from truth in their speech. As sure as the fall of a clod thrown into the air, or the death of a mortal, or sunrise at dawn, even so the word of a Buddha cannot fail." (29) Jesus said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (30) The Hindu writer adds, "The words of the glorious Buddhas are sure and everlasting.' Jesus said, "Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery already, in his heart." (31) Buddha, five hundred years before Jesus came, said, "The law is broken by even looking at the wife of another with a lustful eye." But on one point those great teachers utterly dis- agree. Jesus knew nothing and said nothing about any other world than this one, and its heaven and hell. On the other hand. Gotama makes frequent mention of ten thousand tvorld systems, all of which quaked and trembled and were shaken violently, when he es- tablished the kingdom of righteousness. (32) (28) Matt. 5. V. 16. (29) Buddhist Birth Stories, p. 18. (30) Matt. 24, v. 35. (31) Matt. 5. V. 28. (32) Vol. XI, Sacred Books of the East, p. 155. Jataka tales, P. 64. 276 A QUESTION OF MIR.\CLES Both of those men beheved that this earth will ulti- mately pass away : and Jesus told his followers that the end was close at hand. (33) But Jesus was not a learned philosopher, for he said the stars in the last day "ivill fall from the hcazrn," and "all the tribes of the earth shall mourn." (34) Jesus likewise believed that at the end of the world he would come back to the earth and "sit upon the throne of his glory." (35) Here Jesus surpasses Buddha ; for Buddhism has no throne.