The Well 8

4 1 7

Jesus in India: Where's the Evidence?
Can You Disbelieve the Guru?
Walnut Loaf

Jesus in India: Where's the Evidence?

Here, at this site we bring evidence.

THAT JESUS travelled through India in his youth has appeared in many books and websites. The story took off after the Russian scholar and Orientalist Nicolai Notovich in 1894 published a book where he claimed to have discovered monastery texts showing that Jesus had travelled through India and Tibet during his teens and early twenties. This view has recently been taken up by the German Holger Kersten in Jesus Lived in India [which I don't consider worth reading. Many "if's" don't make proofs].
In 1887 Notovich came to Kashmir during one of several journeys to the Orient. At the Zoji-la pass Notovich was a guest in a Buddhist monastery, where a monk told him of the bhodisattva saint called "Issa", who died and was buried in a tomb in Kashmir itself.
However, the monastery Jesus is alleged to have studied at in India was not built until the 1500s, and there is no independent evidence confirming the story.
Maybe Notovitch's Unknown Life of Jesus was fictional: Intimidated by a refutation by the highly esteemed F. Max Müller, Notovich backed down and changed his story, he began to back-pedal.
Not only Max Muller, but also J. Archibald Douglas, and Edgar J. Goodspeed have all refuted the legend. Below are details.

F. Max Müller

In October 1894 the great Orientalist Max Müller, editor of the epoch-making Sacred Books of the East, published a refutation of Notovitch in The Nineteenth Century, a scholarly review. He shared a letter (June 29, 1894) from an English woman who had visited Leh in Ladakh, including the Hemis lamasery, where she checked out Notovitch's story. She reported that, according to the abbot, "There is not a single word of truth in the whole story! There has been no Russian here. No one has been taken into the Seminary for the past fifty years with a broken leg! There is no life of Christ there at all!" [Goodspeed, p. 11].
Among other things Muller also questioned the great liberty Notovitch took in editing and arranging the alleged verses. Muller said this is something no reputable scholar would have done.

J. Archibald Douglas,

J. Archibald Douglas, Professor at Government College in Agra, India, took a three-month vacation from the college and retraced Notovitch's steps at the Himis monastery. He published an account of his journey in (June 1895), the bulk of which reproduced an interview with the chief lama of the monastery. The lama said he had been chief lama for 15 years, which means he would have been the chief lama during Notovitch's alleged visit. The lama asserted that during these 15 years, no European with a broken leg had ever sought refuge at the monastery.
When asked if he was aware of any book in any Buddhist monastery in Tibet pertaining to the life of Issa, he said: "I have never heard of [a manuscript] which mentions the name of Issa, and it is my firm and honest belief that none such exists. I have inquired of our principal Lamas in other monasteries of Tibet, and they are not acquainted with any books or manuscripts which mention the name of Issa." When portions of Notovitch's book were read to the lama, he responded, "Lies, lies, lies, nothing but lies!"
The interview was written down and witnessed by the lama, Douglas, and the interpreter, and on June 3, 1895, was stamped with the official seal of the lama.
However, several people have gone to Hemis, where several monks purportedly have confirmed that the documents alleged by Notovich existed. Such takes are hardly official, though, compared to the attested or verified ones.

Edgar J. Goodspeed

The credibility of The Life of Saint Issa by Notovich was damaged by Douglas's investigation. Yet Notovitch's book was printed again in 1926 by an American publisher. And it was discredited once again by Goodspeed's book of 1931.

Later

But the stories have surfaced again in New Age circles, and gurus too have taught that he did visit -
Did Jesus visit Tibet? It is possible, assertions are many, but there is little significant evidence that has come down to us.
"Anything is possible, but what is probable?" - F.C. Baur.

http://www.westarinstitute.org/Periodicals/4R_Articles/Tibet/tibet.html
http://www.spinninglobe.net/jesusinindia.htm
http://www.sol.com.au/kor/7_01.htm
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0057b.html

Can You Disbelieve the Guru? That Becomes the Question to Some

Soggieme Mora, a former member of SRF, writes that Yogananda and SRF teach that Jesus went to India, and they say that the book "The Life of Issa" is true. In the book there are Buddhist monasteries too, as this sample will show:

At last he reached the pass, and in the Ladak city, Leh, he was received with favour by the monks, the merchants, and the men of low estate.
And in the monastery he abode, and taught; and then he sought the common people in the marts of trade; and there he taught. (Notovich, Chapter 36, v. 11 and 12)

A Tibetan historian fills in:

Buddhism did not take hold in Tibet until the reign of Srong Tsen Gampo, middle of the seventh century. There was no Buddhist temple in Lhasa when Jesus was alive.
There was also no Buddhism in Ladakh, since Ladakh was a part of the empire of Zhang Zhung, and its religion was Bon."

The first Buddhist monastery in Tibet, Leh, was built in 637-647 AD.
Yogananda did not disprove Notovich's story, which was disproved even when Notovich was alive . . .

Buffalo Sayings

These are Paramahansa Yogananda Quotations and Extracts, Alas

"It has been definitely proven that Jesus was connected with the High Initiates and the Masters of India. In the "Unknown Life of Christ," by Nicholas Notovitch, - the Russian author tells how he went to Tibet, hoping to study Tibetan literature . . . a strange miracle happened. Just when he was returning fruitlessly to India, he fell from a cliff and broke his leg -" Paramahansa Yogananda

"While the injured man was recovering, the h[e]ad Lama asked him what he wanted. He said: "Read to me the papyrus scrolls!" From these sacred scrolls, he secured conclusive evidence that Jesus . . . conferred with the Masters on Yoga and great problems of human upliftment, living with them at the Monastery; but at the age of fifteen, it is said, they tried to get Him married, so he fled. I don't blame him." - Paramahansa Yogananda

"The sacred scrolls further revealed that as Jesus Christ was visited by the Wise-Men of the East, so He paid them a return visit to Tibet, and conferred with the Great Masters. Jesus then went to India to commune with the Masters there; and after preaching the Message in India, he went to Asia Minor." - Paramahansa Yogananda

"Jesus Christ gave His secret message in India, first of all. If you love Jesus, you must have some consideration for the Orientals . . . We should not be proud of being Americans". - Paramahansa Yogananda

"Hidden away in a Monastery of Tibet, priceless records lie." - Paramahansa Yogananda

Yogananda Elaborates and Draws on a Hoax

Yogananda recounts made-up stories, presenting them as true. How wrong can it be when his fellowship adds to the misery by an attitude that comes to the fore in a now notarised letter, that they find no fault with his guidelines and that his wisdom flawless? Their doings have been very shameful.
All quotations are from Yogananda's lecture "Oriental Christ", delivered at his Mt. Washington Center and published in East-West March-April, 1930 Vol. 4-4, later also in the collection Man's Eternal Quest [Ak]
Yogananda definitely vouches for what was a hoax book of Notovitch, and draws on it. Many others of some standard do not.

Yogananda - you cannot trust him.

Walnut Loaf

Eskimos eat walrus meat raw or otherwise. They love the blubber in particular, only that it has become highly toxic lately.
Let us say I have gone from Walrus Sausages, Walrus Cutlets and Walrus Ribs to Walnut dishes now: "Walnut Loaves", "Walnut Patties", "Walnut Balls", and Walnut Sausages". Yogananda speaks for other sorts of nuts too.
Basically, I have organised and processed many points of embittered Yogananda followers, perhaps adding some potato and spices to them, for the sake of taste. Some like it, others do not. But see if you can draw benefit. Since it is easy to get walnuts, there are walnut dishes here on this site. If you are allergetic to walnuts, however, try ground sunflower seeds or other foods rich in essential amino acids (proteins) and which your system stands.

Nutmeat Loaf: A Yogananda Recipe

1 cup English walnuts
1 large potato
1 large onion
1 large carrot
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup milk
1/2 cup tomato juice
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup chopped parsley
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Put nuts, potato, onion and carrot through the food-chopper. Add the rice, milk, tomato juice, chili sauce and the seasonings. Mix well. Turn into a well buttered baking dish and bake one hour in a moderate oven. (350 Fahrenheit.) - Yogananda, from "Food, Health, Intellectual and Spiritual Recipes" in East West, June, 1932 VOL. 4—8.

Take heed: We should drop and replace ingredients the organism does not stand. And adjust the mixture to your taste. You can get it better by having a recent and recommendable vegetarian cook-book.

WALNUT SAUSAGES: As it is said: "The sausage is divine; only God knows what's inside it." Yogananda's standard counsel is to replace meat with finely ground nuts (that you can stand). Yogananda also says:

Nut-meat loaf [can be] made of whole wheat and ground nuts. - Yogananda, "Meatless Coolidge Meals Prescribed by Yogananda", East West, Volume 2 - 2 and 3 - January - April 1927.

The Coolidge mentioned was the US President (1923–29) Calvin Coolidge. Yogananda paid him a visit once. It is told of in the same East West issue.
About Coolidge: "Despite his reputation, "Silent Cal," as he was called, had a keen sense of humour . . . His wit was displayed in a characteristic exchange with a Washington, D.C., hostess, who told him, "You must talk to me, Mr. President. I made a bet today that I could get more than two words out of you." Coolidge replied, "You lose." [Ebu "Calvin Coolidge"]

Eat more ground nuts, rather than too much meat. Don't indulge in very hot or cold drinks. Thus you will avoid colds. Drink more orange juice. - Yogananda, "Message to my Los Angeles Yogoda Students", East West, Volume 1-3 March 1926 - April 1926.

There was a man who killed himself on carrot juice; he used to drink ten litres a day. Let us say you already drink a lot of orange juice, and lend ear to "Drink more orange juice". The guess is that you yourself were in part to blame if you indiscriminately followed the "divine dictum" and afterwards died from "more orange juice" - then more and still more. You should know what is the recommended daily allowance, and what is good for you - at least acceptable, average amounts for yourself,. Bear in mind people are different, their internal organs too, and how well each organ system works too. Some major organs may weaken noticably after you get 55-60 years, for example. And some are allergetic to nuts. Make sure you don't lose. see Nac].

Literature

SECTION

First Page

E-MAIL

Ak: Yogananda, Paramahansa. Man's Eternal Quest. Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship, 1975.
Ap: Mieder, Wolfgang (main editor), Stewart A. Kingsbury, and Kelsie E. Harder: A Dictionary of American Proverbs. (Paperback) New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.
Ay: Yogananda, Paramahansa. Autobiography of a Yogi. 1st ed. New York: Theosophical, 1946. Online. [oaks.nvg.org/pv6bk12.html]
Ebu: Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica 2006 Ultimate Reference Suite DVD. London: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2006.
Nac: Kirschmann, Gayla J., and John D. Kirschmann. Nutrition Almanac. 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996. [Newer editions are available]
Op: Simpson, John, and Jennifer Speake. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.
Pa: Yogananda, Paramahansa. Autobiography of a Yogi. 11th ed. Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship, 1971.
Say: Yogananda, Paramahansa. Sayings of Yogananda. Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship, 1958.

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© 2002–2006, Tormod Kinnes. All rights reserved — September 2006.