LinkSwami Vivekananda on Historicity of Christ
From chapter 8 of
“Notes of some wanderings with Swami Vivekananda”
By Sister Nivedita
Our Master had been talking of Christian ritual as derived from Buddhist, but one of the party would have none of the theory.
"Where did Buddhist ritual itself come from?" She asked.
"From Vedic," answered the Swami briefly.
"Or as it was present also in southern Europe, is it not better to suppose a common origin for it, and the Christian, and the Vedic rituals?"
"No! No!" he replied. "You forget that Buddhism was entirely within Hinduism! Even caste was not attacked it was not yet crystallised, of course! And Buddha merely tried to restore the ideal. He who attains to God in this life, says Manu, is the Brahmin. Buddha would have had it so, if he could."
"But how are Vedic and Christian ritual connected?” persisted his opponent. "How could they be the same? You have nothing even corresponding to the central rite of our worship! "
"Why yes!” said the Swami, "Vedic ritual has its Mass, the offering of food to God, your Blessed Sacrament, our prasadam. Only it is offered sitting, not kneeling, as is common in hot countries. They kneel in Tibet. Then, too, Vedic ritual has its lights, incense, and music."
"But," was the somewhat ungracious argument, "has it any common prayer?" Objections urged in this way always elicited some bold paradox which contained a new and unthought-of generalisation. He flashed down on the question. "No! And neither had Christianity! That is pure Protestantism and Protestantism took it from the Mohammedans, perhaps through Moorish influence! "Mohammedanism is the only religion that has completely broken down the idea of the priest. The leader of prayer stands with his back to the people, and only the reading of the Koran may take place from the pulpit. Protestantism is an approach to this. Even the tonsure existed in India, in the shaven head. I have seen a picture of Justinian receiving the Law from two monks, in which the monks’ heads are entirely shaven. The monk and nun both existed, in pre-Buddhist Hinduism. Europe gets her orders from the Thebaid." “At that rate, then, you accept Catholic ritual as Aryan!
"Yes almost all Christianity is Aryan, I believe. I am inclined to think Christ, never existed. I have doubted that, ever since I had my dream-that dream off Crete!1 Indian and Egyptian ideas met at Alexandria, and went forth to the world, tinctured with Judaism and Hellenism, as Christianity.
"The Acts and Epistles, you know, are older than the Gospels, and S. John is spurious. The only figure we can be sure of is S. Paul, and he was not an eye-witness, and according to his own showing was capable of Jesuitry "by all means save souls" isn't it?
...
"Renan’s life of Jesus is mere froth. It does not touch Strauss, the real antiquarian. Two things stand out as personal living touches in the life of Christ, the woman taken in adultery, the most beautiful story in literature, and the woman at the well. How strangely true is this last, to Indian life! A woman, coming to draw water, finds, seated at the well-side, a yellow- clad monk. He asks her for water. Then He teaches her, and does a little mind-reading and so on. Only in an Indian story, when she went to call the villagers, to look and listen, the monk would have taken his chance, and fled to the forest!
"On the whole, I think old Rabbi Hillel is responsible for the teachings of Jesus, and an obscure Jewish sect of Nazarenes a sect of great antiquity suddenly galvanised by S. Paul, furnished the mythic personality, as a centre of worship.
"The Resurrection, of course, is simply spring-cremation. Only the rich Greeks and Romans had had cremation any way, and the new sun-myth would only stop it amongst the few.
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1 In travelling from Naples to Port Said, on his way back to India, in January 1897, the Swami had a dream of an old and bearded man, who appeared before him, saying "This is th island of Crete," and showing him a place in the island, that he might afterwards identify. The vision went to say that the religion of Christianity had originated in the island of Crete and in connection with this gave him two European words, one of which was Therapeutae which it declared, were derived from Sanskrit. Therapeutae meant sons (from the Sanskrit putra) of the Theras, or Buddhist monks. From this the Swami was to understand that Christianity had originated in a Buddhist mission. The old man added "The proofs are all here," pointing to the ground. "Dig and you will see!"
As he awoke, feeling that this was no common dream, the Swami rose, and tumbled out on deck. Here he met an officer, turning in from his watch. "What o clock is it?, said the Swami. "Mid-night!" was the answer. "Where are we?" he then said; when, to his astonishment, the answer came back "fifty miles off Crete!”
Our Master used to laugh at himself for the strength of the impression that this dream had made en him. But he could never shake it off. The fact that the second of the two etymologies has been lost is deeply to be regretted. The Swami had to say that before he had had this dream, it had never occurred to him to doubt that the personality of Christ was strictly historic.
One must remember that Vivekananda was working with data-points of his time. Most of these data-points were still in the hands of the colonials. Vivekananda was also educated in the Macualyte education. And he evolved out of this education is a gradual manner.
Despite these limitations, he was able to discern(thanks to his super-natural dream) that X-nity was created by buddhist missionaries. And Buddhism, itself, has roots in Hinduism.
Of course, today, there are more data-points to show that even Islam also had Hindu influence because Arabian Paganism was nothing but Hinduism. Hinduism came to Arabia through the rule of Vikramaditya. He was a great king of India who expanded his kingdom upto Arabia(possibly even parts of Europe). His capital was in Ujjain and Kalidasa was supposedly his contemporary. His court was renowned and 'Navaratnas' are famous. Vikram Samvat calendar is created in honor of his rule.
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By the 140 BC political and military turmoil destroyed the Maurayan empire in the north and many kingdoms in the south India. Many Kingdoms emerged at that time. These small kingdoms had good relation with each other and Aryavrata was not doing that badly economicaly. Years passed and again Aryavrata economy rised like a giant, At this juncture, India was invaded by a series of foreigners and barbarians or Mlechchhas from the north western frontier region and central Asia. It signaled the emergance of a leader, a divine soul , Arya Vikramaditya, he successfully combated the foreign invasion and laid foundation of Vardhan Empire and took the throne of Unified Aryavrata. He founded a government for his new kingdom, incorporating both Vedic and Puranic Scholars. The conquest of Kandhara completed, he led his armies to the western frontiers. Further west, he conquered Persia and Babylon. After defeating Babylon he took on the turks which fell like a piece of cake under his belt.
The victories of Babylon, Persia, Turks led him again to the Arabia and sounded the hour for attack on Arabia. When he conquered Arabia, he did so to cheers from the Jewish and Arab Community, who welcomed him as a liberator. He showed great forbearance and respect towards the religious beliefs and cultural traditions of other races. These qualities earned him the respect and homage of all the people over whom he ruled.
The victory over Arabia expressed all the facets of the policy of conciliation which Vikramaditya had followed until then. He presented himself not as a conqueror, but a liberator and the legitimate successor to the crown. He took the title of "King of Aryavrata and Liberator of the Arabs, Turks and Jews". Vikramditya had no thought of forcing conquered people into a single mould, and had the wisdom to leave unchanged the institution of each kingdom he attached to the Aryavrata Crown. Vikramaditya was upright, a great leader of men, generous and benevolent. He spread the Vedic Culture in the land of Arabia. He also reconstructed the temple of Brahma and Mahesh and placed a Jiyotarlinga there. Several other Vedic Temples were made in Babylon, Arabistan, Persia and Turkistan. He brought education in form of reform schools to tribal Arabs. For the first time they god a King that cared for the inhabitants of his Empire. Arabs, Kurds and Persians saw him as 'the annointed of the Lord'.
After the 4 year of Wars that saw whole west Asia under the belt of Vikramaditya Empire he stayed for a year in Arabia till the Mahadev Temple was not completely reconstructed. Temple was first constructed by King Sanjit. After appointing a Arab as the Governor he returned back to Aryavrata where many Vedic Rishis complained about the Barbarian Cinas People attacking Rishis in Himalyas.
This signaled out the war against Cinas (China). Cinas considered themselves equal to Aryas as they were descendents of Ayu, son of Arya King Pururava but they were no behaving the ways Aryas do. The had become Barbarian and were attacking Rishis of Aryavrata. This led Vikramaditya to launch massive operation against them. The Han and Kushan Dynasty came to knew the plans of Vikramaditya. They reunited themselves and prepared themselves to stop Vikramaditya. From Kashmir during the winter of 7179 BC, Vikramaditya moves to North through Aksai toward valley of the Tibet, and met the formidable defense there. Vikramaditya brought his troops, snow and very cold climate. It was the test of courage of his troops which stood like a rock with him till the Kushans and Hans were forced to move back after a battle that continued for 5 days. After breaking the first formidable line of defense, Vikramditya moved to the interiors of Cinas which folded like a aluminum foil. Finally King Vikramditya had concluded his campaign against Cinas which resulted in unconditional surrender of Han and Kushan empire. Vikramditya opened many Vedic schools in Cinas. After 1 year Vikramditya returned back to Aryavrata. He appointed Han and Kushan dynasty as the governors of Cinas. The Cinas, whom he conquered regarded him as 'Law-giver'. Later he moved to Lanka which fell like a piece of cake.
The reign of Vikramaditya is truly be considered as the golden age of classical Indian history. His vast empire controlled areas like Modern Arabian peninsula, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Some parts of turkey, China, Afghanistan, Korea, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Burma, Khazakistan and Srilanka.
Prior to his death, he founded a new capital city at Ujjain in Aryavrata and had established a government for his Empire. He appointed a governor to represent him in each province, however the administration, legislation, and cultural activities of each province was the responsibility of the Governors.
An Advanced History of Asia and S. Europe
by RC Majumdar, HC Raychaudhri, Golnar Mehran & Dr. Abdul-Moti Bayoumi
Glancing through some research material recently, I was pleasantly surprised to come across a reference to a king Vikramaditya inscription found in the Kaaba in Mecca proving beyond doubt that the Arabian Peninsula formed a part of his Indian Empire.
The text of the crucial Vikramaditya inscription, found inscribed on a gold dish hung inside the Kaaba shrine in Mecca, is found recorded on page 315 of a volume known as Sayar-ul-Okul treasured in the Makhtab-e-Sultania library in Istanbul, Turkey. Rendered in free English the inscription says:
"Fortunate are those who were born (and lived) during king Vikrams reign. He was a noble, generous dutiful ruler, devoted to the welfare of his subjects. But at that time we Arabs, oblivious of God, were lost in sensual pleasures. Plotting and torture were rampant. The darkness of ignorance had enveloped our country. Like the lamb struggling for her life in the cruel paws of a wolf we Arabs were caught up in ignorance. The entire country was enveloped in a darkness so intense as on a new moon night. But the present dawn and pleasant sunshine of education is the result of the favour of the noble king Vikramaditya whose benevolent supervision did not lose sight of us- foreigners as we were. He spread his sacred religion amongst us and sent scholars whose brilliance shone like that of the sun from his country to ours. These scholars and preceptors through whose benevolence we were once again made cognisant of the presence of God, introduced to His sacred existence and put on the road of Truth, had come to our country to preach their religion and impart education at king Vikramadityas behest."
For those who would like to read the Arabic wording I reproduce it hereunder in Roman script:
"Itrashaphai Santu Ibikramatul Phahalameen Karimun Yartapheeha Wayosassaru Bihillahaya Samaini Ela Motakabberen Sihillaha Yuhee Quid min howa Yapakhara phajjal asari nahone osirom bayjayhalem. Yundan blabin Kajan blnaya khtoryaha sadunya kanateph netephi bejehalin Atadari bilamasa- rateen phakef tasabuhu kaunnieja majekaralhada walador. As hmiman burukankad toluho watastaru hihila Yakajibaymana balay kulk amarena phaneya jaunabilamary Bikramatum".
Further while researching I got one more surprise in 'A History of the Vikings by Gwyn Jones'. Chapter 3
Around 77 BC Sub-Continent was invaded by a series of foreigners from the north western frontier region and central Asia. It signaled the emergance of a leader, Arya Vikramaditya, he successfully combated the foreign invasion and laid foundation of Vardhan Empire and took the throne of Unified Sub-Continent.
The conquest of western frontiers completed he led his armies to the Northern frontiers. Further North , he conquered China and Mangolia. After defeating Chinese he took on the Mongols which fell like a piece of cake under his belt. The victories of China and Mongolia led him to Russia where for the first time his army felt weak. A treaty was signed as Vikramaditya withdrew his forces from Russia. Treaty concluded with Vikramaditya will spread Vedic thoughts through out Russia and Russians will pay him tax. He showed great forbearance and respect towards the religious beliefs and cultural traditions of other races. These qualities earned him the respect and homage of all the people over whom he ruled. People of Russia and Mongolia were living in dark ages. Vikramaditya brought several reforms to the far away land.
Those want orginal text its like as follows:
77 . () . emergance , , () sardan .
, . , . , Vikramaditya . , Vikramaditya , Vedic , . () (). () , . . Vikramaditya .
I don't remember exactly, but I read somewhere that Vikramaditya's conquest to Arabia was gruesome. At the end of the war, beheaded heads of the arabians were stacked in a heap and they seemed like a coconut heap because of the beards of beheaded arabic heads.
Essential point being Hinduism was spread by Vikramaditya to far and wide corners of the world. Islam is a distorted version of from one such branch. The historicity of Mo is also doubtful. But, thats a topic for another post.
The historicity of Jesus is clear: he never existed. He is a crypto-Buddha figure created by Buddhist missionaries. The earliest 'X-ians' were nothing but crypto-buddhist missionaries.