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Holger Kersten
In "The Original Jesus" Kersten puts forward the thesis that Jesus studied and practised Buddhism

Saving the Savior

In chapter 4 of this book, by Abubakr Salahuddin, the author explores at length the Jesus-as-Buddhist as a subset of the larger issue of Christianity contrasted with Eastern religions in general.

Click here to download or view an extract from writing by the same author on this topic.

Buddhism - Jesus and Buddha

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad explained the similarity between the life events of Jesus Christ and Gautama Buddha by suggesting that Jesus went to India &was in contact with Buddhists after surviving the Crucifixion.

Ahmad believed that Jesus was heralded by the Buddhists as the 'Metteyya Buddha' as prophecised by Gautama Buddha. Ghulam Ahmad points out the similarity between 'Metteyya' and 'Messiah'. In another place this figure is called 'Bagwa Metteyya' (meaning 'white metteyya'). Ahmad offers the opinion that the prophecy talked about a fair-skinned Buddha and that Jesus, having come from Syria, would have fair skin in comparison to the Indians. and would be seen as fulfilment of these prophecies and accepted.

The events of the life of Jesus thus became known to the Buddhists, and at this point in history the story of the life of Gautama Buddha had not yet been recorded. Ahmad further speculates that when the life of Guatama Buddha was being recorded the events were confussed and mixed up with the events of the life of Jesus Christ. This is his explanation for the similarity between the life stories of the two. Here are some similiarties:

  1. Both fasted for 40 day
  2. Both tempted by the devil
  3. Both refer to themselves as "the light"
  4. Both teach forgivness and to 'love thy enemy'

Introduction | Teaching of Buddhism | Jesus & Buddha

Strange Link
Numerous scholars have picked up on a strong similarity between events in the life of Jesus Christ and events in the life of Gautama Buddha. How & Why are the two linked?

Buddhist Wise men from the East ?
Scholars looking at the story of the ‘wise men’ from the east have often speculated that they could have been Buddhists in search of the reincarnation of a lama.