Bridges to Buddhism Buried in Catholicism?

[Peter_Dawson]

There is apparently some evidence that Jesus spent his Missing Years in India and Tibet, so that Tibetan Buddhism refers to Him as “St. Issa.” Additionally, there is apparently some evidence that the popes of the Middle Ages were so taken by the life of Buddha that Buddha was declared a Roman Catholic saint.

Perhaps these things are God’s way of preparing the Faith to greet hundreds of millions of Buddhists as converts in the not-too-distant future, toward the end of time.

 

[lozeerose]

There is apparently some evidence that Jesus spent his Missing Years in India and Tibet, so that Tibetan Buddhism refers to Him as “St. Issa.” Additionally, there is apparently some evidence that the popes of the Middle Ages were so taken by the life of Buddha that Buddha was declared a Roman Catholic saint.

Perhaps these things are God’s way of preparing the Faith to greet hundreds of millions of Buddhists as converts in the not-too-distant future, toward the end of time.

Where/what are the proofs of the the two statements you made? I have drifted around plenty and never heard or seen anything that would lead anyone to believe that Christ spent time in India and Tibet nor that Buddha was declared a saint.

Also, Buddhists do not have saints but rather other “Buddhas.” Becoming a Buddha is to achieve Nirvana or the highest state in which you do not reincarnate but are, I guess, assumed into the universe…However, according to many Buddhists that I have met in my life, Christ is revered as one such example of a Buddha (considering his miracles and teachings), but this is inherent to the type of religion it is and the culture in which it flourished/flourishes.

What I mean by that is that is that Buddhism is a very liquid religion and the regions in which it flourished/flourishes were/are open to polytheism and to a religion that would not necessarily overrule a local god, deity or belief.

I would still like to see what you read or saw to lead you to make the claims above.

Thanks.

 

[Tsuwano]

There is apparently some evidence that Jesus spent his Missing Years in India and Tibet, so that Tibetan Buddhism refers to Him as “St. Issa.” Additionally, there is apparently some evidence that the popes of the Middle Ages were so taken by the life of Buddha that Buddha was declared a Roman Catholic saint.

Perhaps these things are God’s way of preparing the Faith to greet hundreds of millions of Buddhists as converts in the not-too-distant future, toward the end of time.

Which missing years and what evidence are you talking about? I have never heard of any evidence that popes of the Middle Ages considered the Buddha a Christian saint. I have no doubt that there are aspects of Buddhism that resonate with Christians and may find some degree of compatibility with Christian faith, though I do think it would require the Buddhist to jetison core tenants of the Buddhist faith.

 

[redhen]

I have never heard of any evidence that popes of the Middle Ages considered the Buddha a Christian saint.

Perhaps this is in reference to Josaphat.

From the New Advent website newadvent.org/cathen/02297a.htm

"The story is a Christianized version of one of the legends of Buddha, as even the name Josaphat would seem to show. This is said to be a corruption of the original Joasaph, which is again corrupted from the middle Persian Budasif (Budsaif=Bodhisattva). "

 

[Lisa44]

There is apparently some evidence that Jesus spent his Missing Years in India and Tibet, so that Tibetan Buddhism refers to Him as “St. Issa.” Additionally, there is apparently some evidence that the popes of the Middle Ages were so taken by the life of Buddha that Buddha was declared a Roman Catholic saint.

Perhaps these things are God’s way of preparing the Faith to greet hundreds of millions of Buddhists as converts in the not-too-distant future, toward the end of time.

My friend,
What book have you been reading? As a former practitioner of TB I can tell you that nothing is further from the truth.
Whoever told you these things has NO knowledge of Buddhism or Christianity.

Oy vey, we live in an age where people just make stuff up as they go along with absolutely no academic proofs.

 

[rossum]

There is apparently some evidence that Jesus spent his Missing Years in India and Tibet, so that Tibetan Buddhism refers to Him as “St. Issa.”

That is highly unlikely. Tibet did not convert to Buddhism until about 800 CE. While it is commonplace among Buddhists to regard Jesus as a Bodhisattva (the rough equivalent of ‘Saint’) that says nothing about where He lived or studied.

If you want to look for Buddhist influences on Jesus, then Alexandria is a better bet. Alexandria traded with India, and Ashoka is known to have sent Buddhist missionaries to the area. There was a community near Alexandria called “Theraputae” that may possibly have been a Buddhist monastery - “Sthaviravadae”. Others have interpreted them as a Jewish religious community. Jesus will probably have met merchants who had travelled to Alexandria.

Additionally, there is apparently some evidence that the popes of the Middle Ages were so taken by the life of Buddha that Buddha was declared a Roman Catholic saint.

That is correct, as redhen has pointed out. Saints Barlaam and Josaphat are derived from the life of the Buddha at a number of removes. They were removed in the recent purge of legendary saints.

Perhaps these things are God’s way of preparing the Faith to greet hundreds of millions of Buddhists as converts in the not-too-distant future, toward the end of time.

Somehow I think not.

rossum

 

[Lisa44]

That is correct, as redhen has pointed out. Saints Barlaam and Josaphat are derived from the life of the Buddha at a number of removes. They were removed in the recent purge of legendary saints.

rossum

Hi Rossum
What do you mean those two saints were “derived” from the life of the Buddha?

Hey - what are you doing in a Catholic forum? (I mean that in a friendly way not hostile) I see that you are a Buddhist.

peace

 

[Hesychios]

There is apparently some evidence that Jesus spent his Missing Years in India and Tibet, so that Tibetan Buddhism refers to Him as “St. Issa.” Additionally, there is apparently some evidence that the popes of the Middle Ages were so taken by the life of Buddha that Buddha was declared a Roman Catholic saint.

Perhaps these things are God’s way of preparing the Faith to greet hundreds of millions of Buddhists as converts in the not-too-distant future, toward the end of time.

I would not assume anything, but is it possible? Yes.

Not very likely.

Personally I think that Jesus could have spent years in Qumron, or more likely all those years completely ignored right in his own hometown.

One thing people do not think much about is that the trade connections between the Roman empire and southern India were very strong, and therefore a significant Jewish community existed in India by the time of Christ.

So, could Jesus have gone there? Yes he could have if he wanted to. I think it far more likely that some Buddhists and Hindus made their way into the Roman empire (Buddhism by this time being 400 years old and widely dispersed in southern Asia), although they do not seem to have made any kind of lasting impact in Egypt, Syria or Palestine.

I have read (I can’t recall when or where) that some connections people find in eastern religions to Jesus are due to Gnostics traveling east and synchretizing beliefs. This was most especially true for the eastern form of Manichaeism, which showed up in China as well as Turkestan, Persia and India.

It is quite plausible, but that would make a connection several centuries after Christ Himself.

 

[SedesDomi]

Hi Rossum
What do you mean those two saints were “derived” from the life of the Buddha?

From the Catholic Encyclopedia : Barlaam and Josaphat

The principal characters of a legend of Christian antiquity, which was a favourite subject of writers in the Middle Ages. The story is substantially as follows: Many inhabitants of India had been converted by the Apostle St. Thomas and were leading Christian lives. In the third or fourth century King Abenner (Avenier) persecuted the Church. The astrologers had foretold that his son Josaphat would one day become a Christian. To prevent this the prince was kept in close confinement. But, in spite of all precautions, Barlaam, a hermit of Senaar, met him and brought him to the true Faith. Abenner tried his best to pervert Josaphat, but, not succeeding, he shared the government with him. Later Abenner himself became a Christian, and, abdicating the throne, became a hermit. Josaphat governed alone for a time, then resigned, went into the desert, found his former teacher Barlaam, and with him spent his remaining years in holiness. Years after their death, the bodies were brought to India and their grave became renowned by miracles. Barlaam and Josaphat found their way into the Roman Martyrology (27 November), and into the Greek calendar (26 August). Vincent of Beauvais, in the thirteenth century, had given the story in his “Speculum Historiale”. It is also found in an abbreviated form in the “Golden Legend” of Jacobus de Voragine of the same century.

The story is a Christianized version of one of the legends of Buddha, as even the name Josaphat would seem to show. This is said to be a corruption of the original Joasaph, which is again corrupted from the middle Persian Budasif (Budsaif=Bodhisattva).

Apparently, Sts. Barlaam and Josaphat are no longer on the Roman calendar, but they are still on the calendars of the Orthodox .

Regarding St. Issa, there is no hard, material evidence for that.

 

[Pons]

The St. Issa stuff is a hoax. “Barlaam and Josaphat” were never officially canonized saints, thank God. Still mind-boggling though.

 

[Hesychios]

…“Barlaam and Josaphat” were never officially canonized saints, thank God. Still mind-boggling though.

Actually, it bears recalling that until the eleventh or twelfth century there was no official standardized canonization procedure, and all church calendars were local.

I am quite sure that if we searched we would find that the Blessed Virgin, St Joseph and the Apostles were never officially canonized. The community always considered them saints and that was that.

It would seem kind of silly to go through the procedure now, which is why it has never been done for them.

 

[Lisa44]

From the Catholic Encyclopedia : Barlaam and Josaphat

Apparently, Sts. Barlaam and Josaphat are no longer on the Roman calendar, but they are still on the calendars of the Orthodox .

Regarding St. Issa, there is no hard, material evidence for that.

Thanks,
Ok, I still don’t get it? This is a “legend” or a story about a king and his son who are living where? They become Christians (converting from what religion?). And their bodies are brought to India and people report miracles associated with their burial site.

Ok, someone needs to break it down for me because I still have no idea how this “story” even relates to Buddhism? sorry, maybe I am not drinking enough coffee

 

[redhen]

This might help. blogcritics.org/culture/article/how-the-buddha-became-a-catholic/

 

[Lisa44]

This might help. blogcritics.org/culture/article/how-the-buddha-became-a-catholic/

Thank you for the article, however, it still makes little sense to me.
What its saying is that the story of the Buddha, or a buddha (I’m not clear) reached the west. They liked it so much they made the subjects of the story “saints” and changed the elements of the story to fit the Christian nation.

So what we have are people who were made into saints who never existed (as this is a story and not a factual account with real names and places and dates).

Even if there were real details and real people, St Jerome was it?, he changed all of it and made it into a Christian story (still fiction).

No, fictional characters cannot be saints. And no, this has nothing to do with Buddhism, still!

Ahhh, the modern relativists are hard at work trying so hard to meld all religions into one.

 

[Hesychios]

So what we have are people who were made into saints who never existed (as this is a story and not a factual account with real names and places and dates).

No, fictional characters cannot be saints…

This is actually comparatively rare (considering the actual huge number of people on the church calendar) but still not much of a surprise.

The same is said of Saint Philomena, arguably one of the most popular saints of the RC for many years, and she was a phantom of someone’s imagination.

Likewise Saint Veronica. If ever a person DID exist (who offered the cloth to wipe the face of Jesus), a possibility sure, her name was certainly not Veronica.

What we are dealing with here is pious fiction, like the “Left Behind” novels, people liked to tell stories in the past and retold them as entertainment. They would share short stories and take turns doing it. They did not have cinemas and television sets but they told stories about monsters in the forests, dragons, devils and incredible heroes, including martyrs and chaste virgins.

One thing to remember is that the calendar of saints derived out of the practice of worshiping on the anniversary date of some person’s heroic death (or some more arbitrarily selected date for convenience) at the site of their remains or at the site of their martyrdom.

So if people are telling these stories over and over again, evolving them over multiple retellings and they tend to believe it is true, all the community needs is for some charlatan or huckster to come along and sell them some bones they will be convinced are holy relics. Pretty soon they have a shrine and a Feast Day. Later other towns want to share in this and ask for a portion of the relics and a cultus of the “saint” spreads. The fact that there are so many real saints and martyrs tends to make it hard for people without scientific means to sort out the nonsense from the real thing.

We just need to get beyond the fictional claptrap and concentrate on the deeper Truths of the Faith.