Guest guest Posted April 11, 2006 Report Share Posted April 11, 2006 We were talking about this recently. My friend and fellow Amma devotee Steve Briggs sent me the following excerpt from his book. More about that on http://www.pilgrimagetoindia.com. Excerpt from the Book, India: Mirror of Truth by Steve Briggs Hemis is one of Ladakh¡¯s oldest gompas. It was built during a time of spiritual revival four centuries ago near a cave where a lama attained Nirvana. His pinnacle achievement inspired the construction of the monastery. Inside the courtyard, the front wall of the complex was undergoing renovation as we entered. In fact, repairs were underway at many of the monasteries. Ladakh¡¯s vast network of gompas has been the beneficiary of Tibetan Buddhism¡¯s immense popularity in the world, which has fueled the restoration of the old bastions. After the brilliance of the high altitude sun, my eyes adjusted slowly to the monastery¡¯s poorly lit hall of worship. Oil lamps burned at the altar, augmenting the faint light filtering through smoky windowpanes. The residue of centuries of prayer and chanting lingered in the air, moving us to speak in whispers. I was particularly fascinated by the story of the nineteenth century Russian adventurer Nicolas Notovich. The Russian had fractured his leg while in Ladakh and the compassionate Hemis monks took him in. While convalescing, Notovich learned from the chief lama that the monastery had copies of ancient manuscripts about the life of a man they referred to as ¡®the Dalai Lama from the west.¡¯ The man behind the mysterious title had traveled and studied in Tibet and India two thousand years earlier. According to Notovich, the account of the man called Issa was none other than that of Jesus Christ. As the weeks went by, the Hemis monks gained confidence in their Russian friend and permitted him to study the ancient manuscripts describing the life of the mystic that had visited their land. With the help of a translator, Notovich transcribed the texts with the intention of publishing them when he returned to Europe. According to the forward of his book, The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ¡©, Notovich¡¯s plan to publish his findings was not well received by church officials in Rome. A Roman cardinal offered to buy the manuscript from Notovich, saying, ¡°Nobody will attach much importance to it, and you will create numberless enemies thereby¡¦ If you need money, I can obtain some compensation for these notes.¡± Notovich refused the cleric¡¯s offer, being justifiably suspicious of the cardinal¡¯s motives. A year later, he presented the manuscript again, this time to a cardinal in Paris, who also tried to suppress its publication. Christians are taught that Jesus left his home in Nazareth as a boy and began his teachings around age thirty. The missing years have been the subject of research and speculation over the centuries, but the church has never acknowledged that Jesus received a portion of his spiritual education in Tibet and India, a fact that would undoubtedly upset church dogma. The archives in Lhasa contained authentic documents indicating that Jesus did, in fact, spend approximately twelve years studying and meditating in Asia, but apparently these documents are no longer in the Potala monastery. Although the church views Notovich¡¯s book with skepticism, the Christian establishment has little reason to be threatened by the manuscript. After all, Tibetans viewed the man called Issa as an extraordinary individual possessing miraculous powers and the highest spiritual attainment. The following are excerpts from the manuscript that Notovich studied at Hemis, which Buddhist monks had recorded. ¡°When Issa had attained the age of thirteen he clandestinely left his father¡¯s house, went out of Jerusalem, and, in company with some merchants, traveled toward Sindh (western India) that he might perfect himself in the divine word and study the laws of the great Buddhas (Buddhism was prominent in India at the time). ¡°(He) visited Juggernaut (Jaganath Temple in Puri) in the province of Orsis (Orissa on the east coast of India), where the remains of Vyasa-Krishna rest, and where he received a joyous welcome from the white priests of Brahma (Hindus). ¡°They taught him to read and understand the Vedas, to heal by prayer, to teach and explain the Holy Scripture, to cast out evil spirits from the body of man and give him back human semblance. ¡°He spent six years in Juggernaut, Rajagriha, Banares, and the other holy cities; all loved him, for Issa lived in peace with the Vaishyas (merchant caste) and the Sudras (low caste Indians), to whom he taught the Holy Scripture. Notovich¡¯s translation of the Tibetan texts contains many of the same stories and parables known to Christians. It seemed unreasonable that the cardinals would suppress the manuscripts, but possibly they feared others would think the Hindus and Buddhists Issa studied under were unsuitable teachers, preferring to keep his early training a mystery. Had the church fathers been more open-minded, they might have embraced the Tibetan manuscript and even used it to their advantage to promote Christ¡¯s teachings, noting that the Tibetans revered Issa like a god. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 This is interesting. I could see this being true. However, according to Christ's story, he stunned the local priests at the temple when he was 12 as he was able to recite scripture before even studying it. Hence it is more likely he was also an avatar. Ammachi, Rick Archer <amma wrote: > > We were talking about this recently. My friend and fellow Amma devotee Steve > Briggs sent me the following excerpt from his book. > > More about that on http://www.pilgrimagetoindia.com. > > Excerpt from the Book, India: Mirror of Truth by Steve Briggs > > Hemis is one of Ladakh¡¯s oldest gompas. It was built during a time of > spiritual revival four centuries ago near a cave where a lama attained > Nirvana. His pinnacle achievement inspired the construction of the > monastery. Inside the courtyard, the front wall of the complex was > undergoing renovation as we entered. In fact, repairs were underway at many > of the monasteries. Ladakh¡¯s vast network of gompas has been the beneficiary > of Tibetan Buddhism¡¯s immense popularity in the world, which has fueled the > restoration of the old bastions. > > After the brilliance of the high altitude sun, my eyes adjusted slowly to > the monastery¡¯s poorly lit hall of worship. Oil lamps burned at the altar, > augmenting the faint light filtering through smoky windowpanes. The residue > of centuries of prayer and chanting lingered in the air, moving us to speak > in whispers. I was particularly fascinated by the story of the nineteenth > century Russian adventurer Nicolas Notovich. The Russian had fractured his > leg while in Ladakh and the compassionate Hemis monks took him in. While > convalescing, Notovich learned from the chief lama that the monastery had > copies of ancient manuscripts about the life of a man they referred to as > ¡®the Dalai Lama from the west.¡¯ The man behind the mysterious title had > traveled and studied in Tibet and India two thousand years earlier. > According to Notovich, the account of the man called Issa was none other > than that of Jesus Christ. > > As the weeks went by, the Hemis monks gained confidence in their Russian > friend and permitted him to study the ancient manuscripts describing the > life of the mystic that had visited their land. With the help of a > translator, Notovich transcribed the texts with the intention of publishing > them when he returned to Europe. According to the forward of his book, The > Unknown Life of Jesus Christ¡©, Notovich¡¯s plan to publish his findings was > not well received by church officials in Rome. A Roman cardinal offered to > buy the manuscript from Notovich, saying, ¡°Nobody will attach much > importance to it, and you will create numberless enemies thereby¡¦ If you > need money, I can obtain some compensation for these notes.¡± Notovich > refused the cleric¡¯s offer, being justifiably suspicious of the cardinal¡¯s > motives. A year later, he presented the manuscript again, this time to a > cardinal in Paris, who also tried to suppress its publication. > > Christians are taught that Jesus left his home in Nazareth as a boy and > began his teachings around age thirty. The missing years have been the > subject of research and speculation over the centuries, but the church has > never acknowledged that Jesus received a portion of his spiritual education > in Tibet and India, a fact that would undoubtedly upset church dogma. The > archives in Lhasa contained authentic documents indicating that Jesus did, > in fact, spend approximately twelve years studying and meditating in Asia, > but apparently these documents are no longer in the Potala monastery. > > Although the church views Notovich¡¯s book with skepticism, the Christian > establishment has little reason to be threatened by the manuscript. After > all, Tibetans viewed the man called Issa as an extraordinary individual > possessing miraculous powers and the highest spiritual attainment. The > following are excerpts from the manuscript that Notovich studied at Hemis, > which Buddhist monks had recorded. > > ¡°When Issa had attained the age of thirteen he clandestinely left his > father¡¯s house, went out of Jerusalem, and, in company with some merchants, > traveled toward Sindh (western India) that he might perfect himself in the > divine word and study the laws of the great Buddhas (Buddhism was prominent > in India at the time). > ¡°(He) visited Juggernaut (Jaganath Temple in Puri) in the province of Orsis > (Orissa on the east coast of India), where the remains of Vyasa- Krishna > rest, and where he received a joyous welcome from the white priests of > Brahma (Hindus). > > ¡°They taught him to read and understand the Vedas, to heal by prayer, to > teach and explain the Holy Scripture, to cast out evil spirits from the body > of man and give him back human semblance. > > ¡°He spent six years in Juggernaut, Rajagriha, Banares, and the other holy > cities; all loved him, for Issa lived in peace with the Vaishyas (merchant > caste) and the Sudras (low caste Indians), to whom he taught the Holy > Scripture. > > Notovich¡¯s translation of the Tibetan texts contains many of the same > stories and parables known to Christians. It seemed unreasonable that the > cardinals would suppress the manuscripts, but possibly they feared others > would think the Hindus and Buddhists Issa studied under were unsuitable > teachers, preferring to keep his early training a mystery. Had the church > fathers been more open-minded, they might have embraced the Tibetan > manuscript and even used it to their advantage to promote Christ¡¯s > teachings, noting that the Tibetans revered Issa like a god. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 Namah Shivaya Thanks so much, Rick, for posting this. And highly recommend a book I learned about from Eric on our list, The Aztec Virgin by John Mims. To me, it¹s got Amma written all over it! Jai Amma. premarupa > We were talking about this recently. My friend and fellow Amma devotee Steve > Briggs sent me the following excerpt from his book. > > More about that on http://www.pilgrimagetoindia.com. > > Excerpt from the Book, India: Mirror of Truth by Steve Briggs > > Hemis is one of Ladakh¹s oldest gompas. It was built during a time of > spiritual revival four centuries ago near a cave where a lama attained > Nirvana. His pinnacle achievement inspired the construction of the > monastery. Inside the courtyard, the front wall of the complex was > undergoing renovation as we entered. In fact, repairs were underway at many > of the monasteries. Ladakh¹s vast network of gompas has been the beneficiary > of Tibetan Buddhism¹s immense popularity in the world, which has fueled the > restoration of the old bastions. > > After the brilliance of the high altitude sun, my eyes adjusted slowly to > the monastery¹s poorly lit hall of worship. Oil lamps burned at the altar, > augmenting the faint light filtering through smoky windowpanes. The residue > of centuries of prayer and chanting lingered in the air, moving us to speak > in whispers. I was particularly fascinated by the story of the nineteenth > century Russian adventurer Nicolas Notovich. The Russian had fractured his > leg while in Ladakh and the compassionate Hemis monks took him in. While > convalescing, Notovich learned from the chief lama that the monastery had > copies of ancient manuscripts about the life of a man they referred to as > Œthe Dalai Lama from the west.¹ The man behind the mysterious title had > traveled and studied in Tibet and India two thousand years earlier. > According to Notovich, the account of the man called Issa was none other > than that of Jesus Christ. > > As the weeks went by, the Hemis monks gained confidence in their Russian > friend and permitted him to study the ancient manuscripts describing the > life of the mystic that had visited their land. With the help of a > translator, Notovich transcribed the texts with the intention of publishing > them when he returned to Europe. According to the forward of his book, The > Unknown Life of Jesus Christ, Notovich¹s plan to publish his findings was > not well received by church officials in Rome. A Roman cardinal offered to > buy the manuscript from Notovich, saying, ³Nobody will attach much > importance to it, and you will create numberless enemies therebyŠ If you > need money, I can obtain some compensation for these notes.² Notovich > refused the cleric¹s offer, being justifiably suspicious of the cardinal¹s > motives. A year later, he presented the manuscript again, this time to a > cardinal in Paris, who also tried to suppress its publication. > > Christians are taught that Jesus left his home in Nazareth as a boy and > began his teachings around age thirty. The missing years have been the > subject of research and speculation over the centuries, but the church has > never acknowledged that Jesus received a portion of his spiritual education > in Tibet and India, a fact that would undoubtedly upset church dogma. The > archives in Lhasa contained authentic documents indicating that Jesus did, > in fact, spend approximately twelve years studying and meditating in Asia, > but apparently these documents are no longer in the Potala monastery. > > Although the church views Notovich¹s book with skepticism, the Christian > establishment has little reason to be threatened by the manuscript. After > all, Tibetans viewed the man called Issa as an extraordinary individual > possessing miraculous powers and the highest spiritual attainment. The > following are excerpts from the manuscript that Notovich studied at Hemis, > which Buddhist monks had recorded. > > ³When Issa had attained the age of thirteen he clandestinely left his > father¹s house, went out of Jerusalem, and, in company with some merchants, > traveled toward Sindh (western India) that he might perfect himself in the > divine word and study the laws of the great Buddhas (Buddhism was prominent > in India at the time). > ³(He) visited Juggernaut (Jaganath Temple in Puri) in the province of Orsis > (Orissa on the east coast of India), where the remains of Vyasa-Krishna > rest, and where he received a joyous welcome from the white priests of > Brahma (Hindus). > > ³They taught him to read and understand the Vedas, to heal by prayer, to > teach and explain the Holy Scripture, to cast out evil spirits from the body > of man and give him back human semblance. > > ³He spent six years in Juggernaut, Rajagriha, Banares, and the other holy > cities; all loved him, for Issa lived in peace with the Vaishyas (merchant > caste) and the Sudras (low caste Indians), to whom he taught the Holy > Scripture. > > Notovich¹s translation of the Tibetan texts contains many of the same > stories and parables known to Christians. It seemed unreasonable that the > cardinals would suppress the manuscripts, but possibly they feared others > would think the Hindus and Buddhists Issa studied under were unsuitable > teachers, preferring to keep his early training a mystery. Had the church > fathers been more open-minded, they might have embraced the Tibetan > manuscript and even used it to their advantage to promote Christ¹s > teachings, noting that the Tibetans revered Issa like a god. > > > > Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > > > > > > > > * Visit your group "Ammachi <Ammachi> " on the > web. > * > * > * Ammachi > <Ammachi?subject=Un> > * > * Terms of Service > <> . > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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