There is a proverb in India to the effect that one shou1d not inquire too deeply into the origin of rishis (God-men) or rivers. This book, however, seeks to plumb the very depths of the great puzzle of the relation between the Buddha and Jesus.
The First Section features a select, annotated bibliography highlighting almost two hundred years of scholarly work on the remarkable parallelism between the messages and lives of the Buddha and Jesus. The Second Section deals with Buddhist sculptures, a number of which were created in the centuries BCE. They parallel episodes in the Christian scriptures.
The Third Section considers several stone inscriptions of King Asoka, who, in the third century BCE, ruled over most of India, and beyond, into what is now Afghanistan. These inscriptions reveal the spreading abroad of the Buddhist doctrine (Dharma), as far as Egypt and other countries around the Mediterranean. There are many parallels between Buddhist doctrine and Christian doctrine.
The Fourth Section examines the strange story of the most widespread legend of Christian sainthood during medieval times. The Buddha was somehow turned into a Christian saint and, in the 16th century, canonized by the Roman Catholic and other churches!
The fifth Section discusses several instances of parallel parables. It may be of interest to note that only Buddhism and Christianity have made extensive use of parables. The Sixth Section lists various parallels in the sayings of the Buddha and Jesus.
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