The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ

by Nicolas Notovitch, J.H. Connelly (Translator), L. Landsberg (Translator)

Where was Jesus and what was he doing from ages 12-30? Why does the Bible leave out this important information? Is there any truth to the myths and legends that proclaim that Jesus visited many other countries? This book contains amazing accounts of Jesus' missing years based on an old manuscript that was found by the author in a Tibetan lamasery in the 1890's. You will read about the author's dangerous journey to Tibet as you uncover the mystery of the 'lost years' of Jesus' life. Complete with maps, commentaries, and references.

Genres: Religion, History, Christianity, Buddhism, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Biography

94 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1894

About the author

Shulim or Nikolai Aleksandrovich Notovich (Russian: Николай Александрович Нотович) (August 13, 1858 – after 1916), known in the West as Nicolas Notovitch, was a Crimean Jewish adventurer who claimed to be a Russian aristocrat,[citation needed] spy and journalist.

Notovitch is known for his 1894 book claiming that during the unknown years of Jesus, he left Galilee for India and studied with Buddhists and Hindus before returning to Judea. Notovitch's claim was based on a document he said he had seen at the Hemis Monastery while he stayed there. The consensus view amongst modern scholars is that Notovitch's account of the travels of Jesus to India was a hoax.

Notovitch's 1894 book La vie inconnue de Jesus Christ (also known as The Life of Saint Issa) claims that during his unknown years, Jesus left Galilee for India and studied with Buddhists and Hindus there before returning to Judea.

After breaking his leg in India and while recovering from it at the Hemis monastery in Ladakh, Notovitch learned of the Tibetan manuscript Life of Saint Issa, Best of the Sons of Men—Isa being the Arabic name of Jesus in Islam, and īśa meaning 'the Lord' in Sanskrit. Notovitch's account, with the text of the Life, was published in French in 1894 as La vie inconnue de Jesus Christ. It was translated into English, German, Spanish, and Italian.

Allegations of forgery and alleged confession
Notovitch's book generated controversy as soon as it was published.

Reviews

[Elsa Rajan Pradhananga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently, at the age of 13 when Israelites should've taken a wife, Jesus left his home to get away from the rich and noble who wanted Him for a son in law. At the age of 14, He reached Sindh (in modern day Pakistan) and traveled to Juggernaut, Rajegriha, Benares and other holi cities (in modern day India) where He learned the Vedas. In a rebellious act, He inturn taught it to Vyshyas and Shudras (lower Indian castes to whom the scriptures were forbidden). He denounced the holy men who robbed fellow beings off their rights, preached monotheism in a polytheistic India and was at the verge of creating an uprising. This caused Him the wrath of upper caste Indians and to escape death, He fled to Gothamide (modern day Nepal) where He learned and taught the Buddhist scriptures until he turned 26. He then traveled to Persia and got to Israel at the age of 29.

Everywhere He went, He opposed pagenism and idol worship.
"For man" He said, "has not been favored with the sight of the image of God or the ability to construct a host of divinities resembling the Eternal." He emphasized on the need to respect women and presented this ordinary act as a means to remmit many sins. "Respect women for she is the mother of the universe and all the truth of divine creation dwells within her."

(!!!) According to the Buddhist chronicler, Moses was the son of a Pharaoh, 'the Eternal Spirit detached itself from the Eternal Being and was incarnated in the newborn child of a pious and noble family', it wasn't the Pharisees or the Hebrews but Pontius Pilate alone who is to be blamed for the crucifixion of Jesus.

Much of the book is description of the author's journey into the far east and what he deciphered from the text he uncovered in a monastery in Himis. The chapter titled The Life of Saint Isa which is the translated version of the Buddhist manuscript, amount to just about 50pgs. The author claims that since the Buddhists put down the chronicles immediately after the Passion, they could gather more and accurate information. Said to have rocked the Christian world, I personally found nothing so offensive in this book.

[Rama Rao · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Indian gospel of Jesus Christ summarized by Notovitch

Long before Jesus was born, India had become a familiar place in the Middle East because of the trade, and also missionary work of Buddhists beyond the Indian subcontinent. Buddhism had strong roots throughout India including Afghanistan and also parts of Egypt and Israel. Buddha ended his physical existence in 543 B.C. and Mahavira of Jainism in 526 B.C. The influence of Buddhist and Hindu teachings in Indian subcontinent was significant at the time of Jesus.

Canonical Gospels record the history of Jesus until he was 12 and then start again at the age of 30, but the intervening 18 years of his youth is unaccounted for. There is only one reference to Jesus' whereabouts; Luke 2.52 says; "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." This doesn't really say where he increased his wisdom and knowledge to preach the glory of God. In this book the author Notovitch gives a summary of his findings from the manuscripts he found at a Buddhist monastery in Ladakh. In his original work in French, Notovitch gives a minute by minute description of his journey to Tibet in 1887. The manuscript discovered by him at the Himis monastery near Leh, the capital of Ladakh gave an account of Jesus, referred to as St. Issa. These manuscripts were brought from India to Tibet via Nepal. The original was written in Pali, the language of Buddhists. This was translated into Tibetan language by the Buddhist Lamas. St. Issa's doctrine is not canonized in Buddhism and hence not read by ordinary Buddhists, except for Lamas.

Notovitch summarizes his findings about Jesus (St. Issa) in 14 chapters. Jesus travels to India with a caravan of merchants to study and understand the Vedic and Buddhist teachings (Chapter 4, verses 12-13). His trip leads him to Jagannath, located in the modern state of Orissa where Hindu priests receive him with open arms and teach him Sanskrit language and Vedas (chapter 5, verses 3-4). Having studied Hinduism and Buddhism for six years, Jesus was deeply influenced by Buddha's teachings. He travels extensively in Northern India to spread the holy doctrine (chapter 5, verses 3-4). Jesus preaches against unfair treatment of shudras and vaishyas. His teachings focus on the equality of all men, irrespective of their wealth or physical strength or the caste. He works for the emancipation of the poor and downtrodden (chapter 5, verses 11, and 22-27.) He preaches in Jagannath, Rajagriha, Benares and other holy cities of Hinduism and Buddhism (chapter 5, verse 5). When Jesus is about 28 years old, he heads back to his homeland to preach the glory of God, passing through many countries; Afghanistan, Persia and many Middle Eastern countries, before arriving in Israel. Many people were deeply touched by his humility and his message and they become his followers.

Chapter 1 start with the Indian traders who had witnessed the execution of Jesus by the soldiers of Governor Pilate (chapter 1, verses 1-5, and chapter 14, verses 1-5,) and the efforts of Pilate to prosecute Jesus (chapter 10, verses 3-21 and chapter 11.)

Notovitch studied and summarized his findings in 1889, and later in 1929, Swami Abhedananda of the Ramakrishna Order (Vedanta Society) reviewed and verified the authenticity of the apocrypha by personally studying them at Himis monastery. Later Nicholas Roerich and Elisabeth Caspari confirmed the existence of these documents during their visits to the Buddhist monastery at Himis

The translation into English from the original French has been beautifully rendered, and the work of Notovitch is highly illuminating and explains the whereabouts of Jesus in his adolescent years. There are a number of books in literature that discusses the parallels in the acts and sayings of Jesus with that of Buddha. The summary of Notovitch reads like a lost gospel of Jesus Christ.

[Annette Schrab Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I skipped Nicolas' journey and went straight for the Issa Texts. WOW. I mean...wow. As a woman, this account of Jesus' teachings is pivotal.

THIS:

8. Upon this, an old woman who had approached the group, to better hear Issa, was pushed aside by one of the disguised men, who placed himself before her.

9. Then said Issa: "It is not good for a son to push away his mother, that he may occupy the place which belongs to her. Whoso doth not respect his mother—the most sacred being after his God—is unworthy of the name of son.

10. "Hearken to what I say to you: Respect woman; for in her we see the mother of the universe, and all the truth of divine creation is to come through her.

11. "She is the fount of everything good and beautiful, as she is also the germ of life and death. Upon her man depends in all his existence, for she is his moral and natural support in his labors.

12. "In pain and suffering she brings you forth; in the sweat of her brow she watches over your growth, and until her death you cause her greatest anxieties. Bless her and adore her, for she is your only friend and support on earth.

13. "Respect her; defend her. In so doing you will gain for yourself her love; you will find favor before God, and for her sake many sins will be remitted to you.

14. "Love your wives and respect them, for they will be the mothers of tomorrow and later the grandmothers of a whole nation.

15. "Be submissive to the wife; her love ennobles man, softens his hardened heart, tames the wild beast in him and changes it to a lamb.

16. "Wife and mother are the priceless treasures which God has given to you. They are the most beautiful ornaments of the universe, and from them will be born all who will inhabit the world.

17. "Even as the Lord of Hosts separated the light from the darkness, and the dry land from the waters, so does woman possess the divine gift of calling forth out of man's evil nature all the good that is in him.

Notovitch, Nicolas. The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ The Original Text of Nicolas Notovitch's 1887 Discovery (p. 90). Kindle Edition.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Say what you will - I buy it. Why? I'm kind of a "By their fruits you shall know them" kind of guy. That said, this sounds and feels like Jesus, and even if it was some sort of elaborate hoax, one won't go wrong by reading and internalizing Jesus' words here. There's nothing that contradicts my views on Jesus here,and pleanty that enhances my understanding of the the Nazarene. The part on the divinity of the feminine is extremely beautiful.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um livro polémico, com uma argumentação bem estruturada e desafiador!
https://momentosdemagia.wordpress.com...

[Rama Rao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long before Jesus was born, India had become a familiar place in the Middle East because of the trade, and also missionary work of Buddhists beyond the Indian subcontinent. Buddhism had strong roots throughout India including Afghanistan and also parts of Egypt and Israel. Buddha ended his physical existence in 543 B.C. and Mahavira of Jainism in 526 B.C. The influence of Buddhist and Hindu teachings in Indian subcontinent was significant at the time of Jesus.

Canonical Gospels record the history of Jesus until he was 12 and then start again at the age of 30, but the intervening 18 years of his youth is unaccounted for. There is only one reference to Jesus' whereabouts; Luke 2.52 says; "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." This doesn't really say where he increased his wisdom and knowledge to preach the glory of God. In this book the author Notovitch gives a summary of his findings from the manuscripts he found at a Buddhist monastery in Ladakh. In his original work in French, Notovitch gives a minute by minute description of his journey to Tibet in 1887. The manuscript discovered by him at the Himis monastery near Leh, the capital of Ladakh gave an account of Jesus, referred to as St. Issa. These manuscripts were brought from India to Tibet via Nepal. The original was written in Pali, the language of Buddhists. This was translated into Tibetan language by the Buddhist Lamas. St. Issa's doctrine is not canonized in Buddhism and hence not read by ordinary Buddhists, except for Lamas.

Notovitch summarizes his findings about Jesus (St. Issa) in 14 chapters. Jesus travels to India with a caravan of merchants to study and understand the Vedic and Buddhist teachings (Chapter 4, verses 12-13). His trip leads him to Jagannath, located in the modern state of Orissa where Hindu priests receive him with open arms and teach him Sanskrit language and Vedas (chapter 5, verses 3-4). Having studied Hinduism and Buddhism for six years, Jesus was deeply influenced by Buddha's teachings. He travels extensively in Northern India to spread the holy doctrine (chapter 5, verses 3-4). Jesus preaches against unfair treatment of shudras and vaishyas. His teachings focus on the equality of all men, irrespective of their wealth or physical strength or the caste. He works for the emancipation of the poor and downtrodden (chapter 5, verses 11, and 22-27.) He preaches in Jagannath, Rajagriha, Benares and other holy cities of Hinduism and Buddhism (chapter 5, verse 5). When Jesus is about 28 years old, he heads back to his homeland to preach the glory of God, passing through many countries; Afghanistan, Persia and many Middle Eastern countries, before arriving in Israel. Many people were deeply touched by his humility and his message and they become his followers.

Chapter 1 start with the Indian traders who had witnessed the execution of Jesus by the soldiers of Governor Pilate (chapter 1, verses 1-5, and chapter 14, verses 1-5,) and the efforts of Pilate to prosecute Jesus (chapter 10, verses 3-21 and chapter 11.)

Notovitch studied and summarized his findings in 1889, and later in 1929, Swami Abhedananda of the Ramakrishna Order (Vedanta Society) reviewed and verified the authenticity of the apocrypha by personally studying them at Himis monastery. Later Nicholas Roerich and Elisabeth Caspari confirmed the existence of these documents during their visits to the Buddhist monastery at Himis

The translation into English from the original French has been beautifully rendered, and the work of Notovitch is highly illuminating and explains the whereabouts of Jesus in his adolescent years. There are a number of books in literature that discusses the parallels in the acts and sayings of Jesus with that of Buddha. The summary of Notovitch reads like a lost gospel of Jesus Christ.

[Sagor Reza · Rating 3 out of 5]

ইসা (আ.) ভারতবর্ষে এসেছিলেন এবং একেশ্বরবাদ প্রচার করেছিলেন। বেশ অবাক করার মতো একটা কথা। তবে এরকমটাই দাবি করেছেন এই বইয়ের ল��খক নিকোলাস নটোভিচ।

রাশিয়ান এই অ্যাডঞ্চারার ঘুরে বেড়িয়েছেন বিশ্বের নানা প্রান্তে, আরব মরুভূমি থেকে শুরু করে হিমালয়ের শিখর পর্যন্ত। তবে তার মধ্যে সবচেয়ে প্রসিদ্ধ হলো ১৮৮৭ সালে লাদাখে তার ভ্রমণবৃত্তান্ত।

বইয়ের প্রথম অর্ধেক মূলত ভ্রমণকাহিনী। তিব্বতের দুর্গম অঞ্চলের মধ্যে দিয়ে এগিয়ে চলা এক পরিব্রাজকের আত্মকথন। লক্ষ্য একটাই, অজানাকে আবিষ্কার করা। শত বাধাবিঘ্ন পেরিয়ে অবশেষে তিনি পৌঁছান লাদাখের হেমিস মঠে। তিনি সেখানে যীশুর সম্পর্কে জানতে চাইলে তারা স্বাভাবিকভাবেই প্রথমে অস্বীকৃতি জানায়। তবে এরপর ঘোড়া থেকে পড়ে গিয়ে পা ভেঙ্গে যায় তার। মঠে ভিক্ষুদের সেবায় ধীরে ধীরে সুস্থ হয়ে ওঠে সে, আর তখনই তাকে দেখানো হয় সেই সংরক্ষিত পান্ডুলিপি যার নাম Life of Saint Issa, Best of the Sons of Men।

এই পান্ডুলিপিতেই খুজে পাওয়া যায় যীশুর জীবনের হারনো বছরগুলো অর্থাৎ ১৩ থেকে ৩০ বছর পর্যন্ত, যে বছরগুলো বাইবেলে অনুপস্থিত। সেখানে দেখা যায় ১৩ বছর বয়সে যীশু গোপনে এক ক্যারাভান এর সাথে ভারতবর্ষে আসেন এবং বৌদ্ধ ও হিন্দু ধর্মের সাথে পরিচিত হন।

সেখানে তিনি হিন্দুদের জাতপ্রথাকে অস্বীকার করেন। বৈশ্য এবং শূদ্রদের অধিকারের কথা বলেন। নরবলির মতো নৃশংস প্রথার সমালোচনা করেন। এসব বলার জন্য তাকে হত্যার ষড়যন্ত্র করা হয়, কিন্তু তার আগেই তিনি চলে যান বুদ্ধের দেশে।

সেখানে ৬ বছরে পালি ভাষা শিখে বৌদ্ধদের সাথে মিল রেখে বলতে শুরু করেন একেশ্বরের কথা, সমতার কথা। অবশেষে ২৯ বছর বয়সে ফিরে আসেন নিজ দেশে।

এই পান্ডুলিপি নিয়ে নটোভিচ ফিরলেন ইউরোপে, ১৮৯৪ সালে প্রকাশিত হলো তার সবচেয়ে আলোচিত এবং সমালোচিত বই The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ. তার এই কাহিনীকে অনেকে বললেন বিপদজনক সত্য আবার অনেকে বললেন নিছক কল্পকাহিনি।
বিশিষ্ট পণ্ডিতরা যেমন ম্যাক্স মুলার এবং জে. আর্চিবল্ড ডগলাস বিষয়টি খতিয়ে দেখেন। হেমিস মঠের প্রধান লামা নোটোভিচ বা কোনো এমন পাণ্ডুলিপির সঙ্গে পরিচিত নন বলেছিলেন। ডগলাস ১৮৯৫ সালে মঠে গিয়ে নিশ্চিত করেছেন, লামা কখনো নোটোভিচ বা এই গ্রন্থের কথা শুনেননি।
আবার কেউ কেউ এটাকে সম্পূর্ণ উড়িয়ে দেন নি। রামকৃষ্ণের শিষ্য স্বামী অভেদানন্দ ১৯২২ সালে হেমিস মঠে গিয়ে দাবি করেছিলেন যে পাণ্ডুলিপিটি সত্যিই ছিল এবং নোটোভিচকে দেখানো হয়েছিল। অভেদানন্দ এমনকি পাণ্ডুলিপির বাংলা অনুবাদ প্রকাশও করেছিলেন। পরে, পরমহংস যোগানন্দ ও নিকোলাস রোরিখও সমজাতীয় ধারণা প্রকাশ করেছেন।

নটোভিচ কি আসলেই একজন সত্য অনুসন্ধানকারী ছিলেন নাকি কেবলই একজন কল্পকাহিনীকার- তা আজও বিতর্কিত। একাডেমিক ভাবে তার দাবির কোন প্রমান পাওয়া না গেলেও তার এই বই অনেকের মধ্যেই কৌতুহল জাগায়।

সত্যি বলতে এই বইটা পড়া আমার জন্যে খুবই অদ্ভুত একটা অভিজ্ঞতা ছিল। বইয়ের দাবি কে আমি সত্যি বা মিথ্যা কোনটাই বলার সক্ষমতা রাখি না। তবে এবই পড়ার পর কিছু প্রশ্নের উদ্রেক হয় মনের ভেতর। সেগুলোই এখন বলার চেষ্টা করব। এগুলো কোন প্রমানিত সত্য না, এবং ধর্মতত্ত্ব নিয়ে আমার জানাশোনাও কম, তাই এগুলো কেবলমাত্রই ধারনা ছাড়া অন্য কিছু না।

ইসলামিক দৃষ্টিকোন থেকে আমরা কয়েকটা জিনিস বলতে পারি:
১। আল্লাহ প্রত্যেক জাতি ও সভ্যতার জন্যই নবী পাঠিয়েছেন — মোট সংখ্যা বলা হয় ১,২৪,০০০ জন নবী।কুরআনে বলা হয়েছে:
“আমি প্রত্যেক জাতির কাছে একজন রসূল পাঠিয়েছি…” (সুরা আন-নাহল ১৬:৩৬)
২। প্রত্যেক নবী তার জাতিকে তাওহিদের (এক আল্লাহর প্রতি বিশ্বাস) শিক্ষা দিয়েছেন।
৩। কিন্তু সময়ের সাথে সাথে, সেই জাতির অনুসারীরা মূল বার্তা বিকৃত করেছে, নিজেরা নতুন ব্যাখ্যা তৈরি করেছে বা আগের শিক্ষাকে ধর্মীয় কাঠামোয় বেঁধে ফেলেছে।

এই সবগুলোকে একত্র করে বলা যায়, ভারতের মতো একটি বিশাল, প্রাচীন সভ্যতায় নবী না থাকা প্রায় অসম্ভব ইসলামী দৃষ্টিকোণ থেকে।

এবার আসি গৌতম বুদ্ধের ব্যাপারে। আপনি যদি বুদ্ধের মূল শিক্ষা গুলোর দিকে তাকান তবে বুঝতে পারবেন তিনি মূলত একেশ্বরবাদ, মধ্যমপন্থা, অহিংসা, প্রতিমা পূজা না করা এই জিনিসগুলো শিখিয়েছেন।
ইসলামিক দৃষ্টিকোণ থেকে আমরা আরো কিছু জিনিস জানি:
১। কুরআন আল্লাহর পক্ষ থেকে সংরক্ষিত। কুরআনে এসেছে:
"আমি তা (কুরআন) সংরক্ষিত রাখব" - (সূরা হিজর ১৫:৯)
২।অন্য নবীদের গ্রন্থ বা শিক্ষার ক্ষেত্রে এমন কোনো নিশ্চয়তা দেওয়া হয় নি।
৩।বরং ইসলাম বলে নবীদের আসল শিক্ষা তাদের অনুসারীদের মধ্যে বিকৃত হতে পারে।
উদাহরণ: ইসা আঃ, মূসা আঃ এর আসল শিক্ষা পরে অনুসারীরা বিকৃত করেছে এবং তার ফলে খ্রিষ্ট ধর্ম বা ইহুদি ধর্মের গোড়াপত্তন হয়েছে।

এবার গৌতম বুদ্ধের শিক্ষাগুলোর দিকে তাকালে সেগুলোর সাথে একেশ্বরবাদী নবুয়তের মূল মূল্যবোধের সাথে অদ্ভুতরকম মিল পাওয়া যায়। তাহলে আমারা কি এটা বলতে পারি হয়ত বুদ্ধ ইসলামের কো নবী ছিলেন যার প্রকৃত শিক্ষা রূপান্তরিত হয়ে বৌদ্ধধর্মে পরিনত হয়েছে। এটা আমার কোন দাবি না, কেবলমাত্র একটা লজিক্যাল আলোচনা বলতে পারেন।
কুরআন, হাদীস বা বিশুদ্ধ তাফসির গ্রন্থগুলোতে বুদ্ধের নাম সরাসরি উল্লেখ নেই। কিন্তু ইসলামী পণ্ডিতদের মধ্যে কিছুজন (বিশেষত ভারতীয় মুসলিম চিন্তাবিদরা) মনে করেন বুদ্ধ এই অঞ্চলে পাঠানো নবীদের একজন হতে পারেন।

উদাহরণস্বরূপ:

১। আল্লামা ইকবাল ইঙ্গিত দিয়েছিলেন যে বুদ্ধ একজন নবী হতে পারেন।

২। ভারতীয় ইসলামী চিন্তাবিদ মাওলানা আবুল আ’লা মওদূদীও বলেছিলেন, এটা পুরোপুরি অসম্ভব নয় যে বুদ্ধ একজন নবী ছিলেন, কারণ তিনি তাওহিদের কাছাকাছি নৈতিক শিক্ষা দিয়েছিলেন। তবে তিনি সরাসরি বুদ্ধকে নবী বলে দাবি করেননি।
৩। ড. শাবির আলী তার একটি বক্তৃতায় বুদ্ধের নবুত্ব সম্পর্কে আলোচনা করেছেন। এছাড়া ড. জাকির নায়েকও এবিষয়ে কথা বলেছেন।
তবে আবারও বলি তবে ইসলাম কখনো আনুষ্ঠানিকভাবে বুদ্ধকে নবী হিসেবে ঘোষণা করেনি — কারণ ওহি বা স্পষ্ট দলিল নেই। তবে লজিক্যাল ও ইসলামী আলোকে বুদ্ধকে নবী হিসেবে অনুমান করা সরাসরি কোরআনের সাথে বিরোধপূর্ণ নয়। এটা একটি লজিক্যাল বা ধর্মতাত্ত্বিক অনুমান—যে বুদ্ধ ছিলেন ভারতের নবী, যাঁর শিক্ষা পরে বিকৃত হয়ে বৌদ্ধধর্মে রূপান্তরিত হয়েছে।

এবার আসি নটোভিচের দাবিতে। ইসা (আ.) আসলেই ভারতবর্ষে এসেছিলেন কিনা। একাডেমিক ভাবে তার কোন ভাল প্রমান নেই। থিওলজিস্টরা ভালো বলতে পারবেন। ইসলামিক মূল বইগুলোতেও এরকম কোন কিছুর উল্লেখ নেই। তবে আমরা যদি আরেকটা দিকে একটু দৃষ্টিপাত করি তাহলে কিছু জিনিস অনুমান করা যায়:
১।কোরআন ও হাদীস অনুযায়ী সকল নবীকে নির্দিষ্ট জাতি বা জনগোষ্ঠীর জন্য পাঠানো হয়েছেন।
উদাহরণ:
ইসা আ. → বনী ইস্রায়েল
মূসা আ. → মিসরীয় বা ইস্রায়েলীয় জনগোষ্ঠী
হুদ আ. → আদ জাতি
২। মুহাম্মদ (সা.) হলেন একমাত্র সর্বজনীন নবী, যিনি সমস্ত জাতির রহমতস্বরুপ, বা রাহমাতুল্লিল আলামিন।


ইসলামিক দৃষ্টিতে অন্য সকল নবি নির্দিষ্ট জাতির হিদায়াত স্বরুপ এসেছিলেন। সে ধারাবাহিকতায় ইসা আ. এসেছিলেন বনি ইসরায়েলদের জন্য। তাই সে যুক্তিতে তার ভারতে এসে একেশ্বরবাদ প্রচার করার কথা না,
“আমি প্রত্যেক জাতির কাছে নবী পাঠিয়েছি।” (সুরা আন-নাহল ১৬:৩৬)

তবে এগুলোর কোন কিছুই প্রমানিত না। কেবলমাত্র কিছু লজিক্যাল আলোচনা এবং আমার ব্যক্তিগত কিছু ধারনা। এর মধ্যে তথ্যগত বা যোক্তিক ভুল থাকতে পারে। এবং সেটা যদি কেউ ধরিয়ে দেন, তাহলে অবশ্যই কৃতজ্ঞ থাকব।

আমি বইটা সম্পর্কে জেনেছিলাম লেখক এম. জে. বাবুর একটা পোস্ট থেকে। বেশ ইন্টারেস্টিং একটা বই, চাইলে পড়ে দেখতে পারেন�� বইটা ফ্রি তেই অনলাইনে পড়তে পারবেন। প্রথম লিংকে গেলেই বইটা পেয়ে যাবেন।

সংযুক্তি:
1. The Unknown Life of Jesus Crist by Nicolas Notovitch -
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29288

2. Nicolas Notovitch -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas...

3. Between Truth and Legend: Nicolas Notovitch's Discovery -
https://ishainternational.wordpress.c...

4. Unknown Life of Jesus Crist -
https://ocoy.org/original-christianit...

5. Was Buddha a Prophet? Dr. Shabir Ally -
https://youtu.be/hhd9pCsvnhE?si=8bYjx...

6. Muslims Scholar's Discourse on Buddhism -
https://www.shs-conferences.org/artic...

7. Jesus' (as.) Travels to India -
https://muslimsunrise.com/2023/01/28/...

[João Fialho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interessante, instrutivo. Um livro escrito há quase 150 anos que parece não ter o peso do tempo (e falando de coisas com mais de 2000 anos ...)
Não há aqui teorias bombásticas; tem um toque de reflexão com o intuito da "procura" da "verdade histórica" em detrimento de uma qualquer "verdade teológica ou doutrinal".
Tal como há 150 anos, a dicotomia ocidente/oriente manifesta-se de um modo claro.
Gostei dos breves relatos sobre as populações e costumes dos povos por onde este russo passou.

[Rino Tom Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

More appropriate title for this would have been 'Kashmir Journeys'. It is better to be categorized more as a travelogue (or the authors imaginations) than considering it as a piece of history book.

The content of the book is not doing no justice to the title. Only few parts of the book is actually trying to cover the incidents related to Jesus Christ.

- Few parts in the first chapter
- Then some non-concrete content in the fourth chapter which the author claims to be from the translations of some Buddhist scriptures (no proof yet for that).
- And more of his imagination than facts in the last chapter.

Looks like the title was more of a marketing technique for his book and in turn used / misused by many historians later.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting account copied from a document found with the Tibetan Buddhists in the 1880s. It described Jesus' coming to India when he was 13 and studying there with monks, and eventually becoming a very influential monk himself. Then in his late 20's he went back to Israel to finish his mission. It's an interesting tale, especially since those years are missing from any New Testament account. However, there is no trace of the original document, some say it was taken as part of the Chinese raids on Tibet, so who knows.....

[Balaji Sundarrajan · Rating 3 out of 5]

a fascinating account. the author, who is a russian, is holed up in a tibetean buddhist monastery due to a broken leg. during his convalescence he becomes aware of an ancient manuscript preserved therein which indicates that jesus christ was in india between the ages of 14 and 30. this book is basically a translation of the manuscript. the contents open up an entirely new facet of jesus' life which is completely at variance with the accepted biblical version. i feel that this issue deserves more attention and investigation by the world.

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A somewhat interesting yarn about the life of Jesus between the age of 13 and time he began his ministry at age 30. The book suggests that he spent that time studying at the hands of Buddhist masters during a sojourn into India. There is, of course, nothing to suggest this. The author purports to have discovered this during a visit to a Buddhist convent and studying scrolls. The author, however, never did produce any such scrolls.

[Luciana Vichino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Curious to say the least

The first half of this book focus on the trip that took the author to the monastery where Jesus texts were available.
The second half of the book is the core of it with the translation of the texts about Jesus and a very logical and believable theory about the unknown years of his life. Very interesting reading.

[Jacob Molyneux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Issa

If you have an enquiring mind regarding the true life of the real man then read this as it is very likely.

[for-much-deliberation ... · Rating 4 out of 5]

The supposed account of what Jesus did during those years which aren't recorded in the bible...

[Mina · Rating 5 out of 5]

One can hope this is a true story. There is nothing more beautiful than the real word of Jesus—love, compassion, kindness, equality, and light.

[Jera Igo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I watched a fascinating documentary, Jesus Was a Buddhist Monk. The theme was that Jesus did not die on the cross. The film speculated on where he might have gone afterwards in order to avoid being captured and re-executed. It ended with Jesus having returned to the Kashmir providence of India which represented a return to the place he had gone to in his youth between the ages of 12 to 29, a time frame was not covered in the history of Jesus' life given in the Bible. The film showed the tomb of Jesus in Kashmir and his footprints showing the marks of the cross. Jesus adopted the name Yuz Asaf during his later decades when he lived as a wandering holy man in the environs of Kashmir.

Intrigued by the film, I read a book for information on the life of Jesus: The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ by Nicolas Notovich The book was published in 1897.

The Notovich book introduces a manuscript kept in a Buddhist monastery in Kashmir. This book does not contain the assertion that Jesus survived the crucifixion. The book describes the author's exploration of India, Nepal and Tibet, in the late 1800s, by horse-drawn carriage and horseback. One of the members of his party was attacked and killed by a panther while they camped in a lonely place. While recovering from a broken leg at the Hemis Monastery in northern India, Notovich learned about written histories of, and quotations from Issa, the Arabic name for Jesus. Two volumes were brought, read and translated into Russian. Notovich wrote down the translations. They told the history of the Israelites, the birth of Jesus, his early interest in the word of God, his departure from his parents home around the age of 13, his travels through India, Nepal, Tibet his instructions there, and his preaching during that time, his return to Israel via Persia at about the age of 29, where the Notovich manuscript takes up the same history as the gospels, albeit different.

When I was young, I attended Sunday School 10 Sundays in a row at the Assembly of God Church, for which I was awarded my own red letter edition King James Bible. The more liberal churches I attended with my mother were using more modern translations, but I loved that Bible! I loved reading the words of Jesus set apart by the red ink. I read them over and over.

It didn't take very long to read everything Jesus ever said that had been recorded that I knew about. It can be done in less than an hour, and I usually read a good chunk of it every night before I went to sleep. Before long I knew all of Jesus' words by heart.

How wonderful to have an additional treasury of the precious words of Jesus included in The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ by Nicolas Notovich! Here is a small sample from Chapter 7:
5. But Issa [Jesus] then said: “The miracles of our God began when the universe was created; they occur each day, each instant; whosoever does not see them is deprived of one of the most beautiful gifts of life.” ...

13. And Issa also taught the pagans not to strive to see the Eternal Spirit with their own eyes, but to endeavor to feel it in their hearts, and, by a truly pure soul, to make themselves worthy of its favors.

14. “Not only must you desist from offering human sacrifices,” said he, “but you must immolate no animal to which life has been given, for all things have been created for the benefit of man.”

15. “Do not take what belongs to others, for it would be robbing your neighbor of the goods he has acquired by the sweat of his brow.”

16. “Deceive no one, that you may not yourself be deceived; strive to justify yourself before the last judgment, for it will then be too late.”

18. “Do not give yourself up to debauchery, for it is a violation of the laws of God.”

18. “You shall attain supreme beatitude, not only by purifying yourself, but also by leading others into the path that shall permit them to regain primitive perfection.”

The Notovich book created a furor among Christians. Some detractors traveled to the Hemis Monastery in northern India in order to destroy the original documents. As a result the abbotts there refused to show them or even to admit their existence.

In 1922, after the furor had subsided, Swami Abhedananda, a disciple of Ramakrishna, having read the Notovich book, traveled to the monastery where he was shone the documents, and was assured that Notovich's account of his visit there, and his rendering of the documents, were accurate.

While not exalting him extravagantly, Buddhism seems willing enough to accept Jesus as one of it's saints. Christian theologians, on the other hand, seem to want to draw a hedge around Christianity and create a schism between it and Buddhism. None need exist. The two religions are very similar. But this hedge drawing has been going on for nearly two millennia, which is probably why the material, discovered by Notovich, was left out of the Bible in the first place! Clergy tends to divide, emphasizing differences rather than commonality.

[Rama Rao · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Indian gospel of Jesus Christ summarized by Notovitch

Long before Jesus was born, India had become a familiar place in the Middle East because of the trade, and also missionary work of Buddhists beyond the Indian subcontinent. Buddhism had strong roots throughout India including Afghanistan and also parts of Egypt and Israel. Buddha ended his physical existence in 543 B.C. and Mahavira of Jainism in 526 B.C. The influence of Buddhist and Hindu teachings in Indian subcontinent was significant at the time of Jesus.

Canonical Gospels record the history of Jesus until he was 12 and then start again at the age of 30, but the intervening 18 years of his youth is unaccounted for. There is only one reference to Jesus' whereabouts; Luke 2.52 says; "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." This doesn't really say where he increased his wisdom and knowledge to preach the glory of God. In this book the author Notovitch gives a summary of his findings from the manuscripts he found at a Buddhist monastery in Ladakh. In his original work in French, Notovitch gives a minute by minute description of his journey to Tibet in 1887. The manuscript discovered by him at the Himis monastery near Leh, the capital of Ladakh gave an account of Jesus, referred to as St. Issa. These manuscripts were brought from India to Tibet via Nepal. The original was written in Pali, the language of Buddhists. This was translated into Tibetan language by the Buddhist Lamas. St. Issa's doctrine is not canonized in Buddhism and hence not read by ordinary Buddhists, except for Lamas.

Notovitch summarizes his findings about Jesus (St. Issa) in 14 chapters. Jesus travels to India with a caravan of merchants to study and understand the Vedic and Buddhist teachings (Chapter 4, verses 12-13). His trip leads him to Jagannath, located in the modern state of Orissa where Hindu priests receive him with open arms and teach him Sanskrit language and Vedas (chapter 5, verses 3-4). Having studied Hinduism and Buddhism for six years, Jesus was deeply influenced by Buddha's teachings. He travels extensively in Northern India to spread the holy doctrine (chapter 5, verses 3-4). Jesus preaches against unfair treatment of shudras and vaishyas. His teachings focus on the equality of all men, irrespective of their wealth or physical strength or the caste. He works for the emancipation of the poor and downtrodden (chapter 5, verses 11, and 22-27.) He preaches in Jagannath, Rajagriha, Benares and other holy cities of Hinduism and Buddhism (chapter 5, verse 5). When Jesus is about 28 years old, he heads back to his homeland to preach the glory of God, passing through many countries; Afghanistan, Persia and many Middle Eastern countries, before arriving in Israel. Many people were deeply touched by his humility and his message and they become his followers.

Chapter 1 start with the Indian traders who had witnessed the execution of Jesus by the soldiers of Governor Pilate (chapter 1, verses 1-5, and chapter 14, verses 1-5,) and the efforts of Pilate to prosecute Jesus (chapter 10, verses 3-21 and chapter 11.)

Notovitch studied and summarized his findings in 1889, and later in 1929, Swami Abhedananda of the Ramakrishna Order (Vedanta Society) reviewed and verified the authenticity of the apocrypha by personally studying them at Himis monastery. Later Nicholas Roerich and Elisabeth Caspari confirmed the existence of these documents during their visits to the Buddhist monastery at Himis

The translation into English from the original French has been beautifully rendered, and the work of Notovitch is highly illuminating and explains the whereabouts of Jesus in his adolescent years. There are a number of books in literature that discusses the parallels in the acts and sayings of Jesus with that of Buddha. The summary of Notovitch reads like a lost gospel of Jesus Christ.

[Chris Gleck]

This book was originally published in 1907. I purchased it from Dover Books which prints books out of copyright. My paperback was printed in 2008. I had first learned of the possiblity that the historical Jesus spent time in India during the 20-year gap in the New Testament stories from Deepak Chopra. The author travelled to India during the late 19th C., heard the same thing and uncovered proof of it in written documents held in Buddhist monasteries, which seemed to be authentic versions of what occurred. He wrote this book to recount what he discovered and uncovered on this journey. This was a fascinating story believable to me because the 20-year gap seems uncharacteristic to me for someone with Jesus' ideas and drive. One aspect I found interesting was that he pissed off the Brahmins in India as much as the Romans in Palestine due to his criticisms of the caste system, and he was run out of India. A "troublemaker" wherever he went, it seems. I will keep this book for future reference.

[G. Tramaine Peoples · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty good read.. This is a debate that will never fully be discussed objectively because Christians refuse to look at Jesus as anything less than the son of God and Atheist refuse to believe any such person ever existed. All I can say is do your own research and come to your own conclusions..

[Ashish Jaituni · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book that started it all! Sketchy at best. Nothing concrete, a fanciful account!

[Paul/Suzette Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story-- worthwhile whether or not it has any basis in reality. The first half of the book that recount his travels is far better than the "lost book."

[Matthew Gauvain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was this story bull? Yeah Probably. But I liked it anyways.

[Gia Jgarkava · Rating 3 out of 5]

საინტერესო ვერსიაა, მაგრამ კონკრეტულად ეს წიგნი ვერ იყო დამაჯერებელად არგუმენტირებული.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating account into the young life of the greatest man who ever lived.

[Po Ag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth reading! Time spent on it is not wasted !.. especially fourth chapter.. here is the words of jesus christ and about his life... whatever i enjoyed reading it!

[Denton Holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting if not very scholarly depiction of the “lost years” of Jesus.

[Peggy J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Jesus's scripture on pages 65-66 in regards to women. The church has done religion and women such a disservice removing us. They should be ashamed but they are not.

[Karin Nordstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

quite an interesting read
travels through India
Accounts of Issa, so similar to Jesus...

[Steven H · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE ORIGINAL ‘JESUS WENT TO INDIA’ AND/OR ‘STUDIED BUDDHISM’ BOOK

Frank J. Muncie Jr. wrote in the Preface to this 1894 book, “The story you are about to read will no doubt enlighten our mind on some of the events pertaining to the early life of Jesus that were definitely omitted by the early church editors of the New Testament. While it has been … well known to many Bible scholars that much has been deleted about the so-called ‘lost years’ of Jesus’ life---the facts remain an open book for the curious and sincere seeker of the truth. To the Christian mind well bathed in the orthodox teachings of organized religion, all Eastern religion is pagan and taboo, thus undeserving for any consideration as to the origin of truth and Godliness… As for Notovitch’s claims, that the Romans put Jesus to death and took away his body: Was it a deliberate fraud, a hoax, or perhaps the work of a loyal Jew trying to relieve his nation of national disgrace and dishonor? … Nicolas Notovitch was Russian-born, long before ungodly red communism came into being, so what would he gain by lying, or was there some secret reason for the vindication of the Jews he fails to report? This manuscript is the only one ever to charge the Romans solely for Jesus’ execution…”

Editor/Publisher Bianca Leonardo explained, “This book is part of the basis of a 1978 film, called ‘The Lost Years of Jesus’… Now, it is believed by some scholars that Jesus spent the 18 ‘lost’ years in an Essene community, of which there were at least several at that time. This film and this book place him in India. One theory is not in conflict with the other. Eighteen years is a long time. Jesus could have spent part of those years with the Essenes, and part of them in India… The manuscript which follows rings mostly true, to me. India, today, has a strong spiritual quality---even the common people are strongly religious---and a tradition of spirituality thousands of years old. It is there that the advanced yogis demonstrate power over the so-called laws of matter---as Jesus did two thousand years ago.”

The Foreword by Nicolaus Notovitch explains, “After the close of the Turko-Russian War (1877-1878) I undertook a series of extended journeys through the Orient… The first object of this journey was to study the customs and habits of the inhabitants of India amid their own surroundings… In the course of one of my visits to a Buddhist convent, I learned from the chief Lama that there existed very ancient memoirs, treating of the list of Christ and of the nations of the Occident, in the archives of Lassa, and that a few of the larger monasteries possessed copies and translations of these precious chronicles… I resolved to … verify these assertions by seeing some of these copies, even though I were obliged to invade every convent as far as Lassa… An unfortunate accident, whereby my leg was fractured, furnished me with a totally unexpected pretext to enter the monastery… and I took advantage of my short stay among these monks to obtain the privilege of seeing the manuscripts relating to Christ.

“With the aid of my interpreter, who translated from the Tibetan tongue, I carefully transcribed the verses as they were read by the Lama. Entertaining no doubt of the authenticity of this narrative, written with utmost precision by Brahmin historians and Buddhists of India and Nepal, my intention was to publish the translation on my return to Europe… Believing myself sufficiently prepared to publish the narrative … I therefore prepared my notes, and now publish them, reserving the right to attest the authenticity of these chronicles. In my commentaries I carefully develop the arguments which prove the good faith and sincerity of the Buddhist compilers. It only remains for me to add that before criticizing my work scientific societies can, without much expense, organize an expedition whose mission it will be to study these manuscripts in the locality in which they are to be found, and thus verify their historical value.”

He then relates ‘A Journey to Thibet,’ an accounts of his travels in India and elsewhere. He relates, “‘You have said that a son of Buddha, Issa, the chosen one, propagated your religion throughout the world. Who then is he?’ I inquired. The Lama [replied]… ‘Issa is a great prophet… he is greater than any of the Dalai-Lamas, for he constitutes a part of the spirituality of the Lord. It is he who has…brought back frivolous souls to God, who has rendered you worthy of the blessings of the Creator… His name and deeds are recorded in our sacred writings… we weep over the horrible sin of the pagans, who assassinated him after putting him to the most cruel tortures.’ … Issa, the prophet of Buddhists! How could that have been? Being of Jewish origin, he dwelt in Palestine and Egypt, and the scripture contains not a word, not the slightest allusion to the part played by Buddhism in the education of Jesus.’”

He then includes ‘The Life of Saint Issa, the Best of the Sons of Men’: “The earth has trembled and the heavens have wept, because of the great crime just committed in the land of Israel. For they have put to torture and executed the great just Issa, in whom dwelt the spirit of the world. Which was incarnated in a simple mortal, that men might be benefited and evil thoughts exterminated thereby…” [I. 1-3]

“And not the time had come, which the Supreme Judge… had chosen to incarnate himself in a human being. And the Eternal Spirit … awakened and detached itself from the Eternal Being for an indefinite period. In order to indicate, in assuming the human form, the means of identifying ourselves with the Divinity and of attaining eternal felicity.” (IV. 1-3]

“The divine child, to whom was given the name of Issa, commenced even in his most tender years to speak of the one and indivisible God, exhorting the people that had strayed from the path of righteousness to repent and purify themselves of the sins they had committed… When Issa attained the age of thirteen, when an Israelite should take a wife, The house in which his parents dwelt … became a meeting house for the rich and noble, who desired to gain for a son-in-law the young Issa, already celebrated for his edifying discourses… It was then that Issa clandestinely left his father’s house, went out of Jerusalem, and, in company with some merchants, traveled toward Sindh, That he might perfect himself in the divine word and study the laws of the great Buddhas.” [IV. 8-23]

“He spent six years in Juggernaut, Rajegriha, Benares, and the other holy cities; all loved him, for Issa lived in peace with the Vaisyas and the Soudras, in whom he taught the Holy Scripture… But the Brahmans dna the Kshatriyas declared that … the Vaisyas were authorized to listen only to the reading of the Vedas… But Issa would not heed them; and going to the Soudras, preached against the Brahmans and the Kshatiyas. He strongly denounced the men who robbed their fellow beings of their rights as men…” [V. 5-11]

“The white priests and the warriors … resolved upon his death and sent their servants for this purpose in search of the young prophet. But Issa, warned of this danger by the Soudras, fled in the night… Having perfectly learned the Pali tongue, the just Issa applied himself to the study of the sacred rolls of Soutras. Six years later, Issa, whom the Buddhists had chosen to spread his holy word, could perfectly explain the sacred rolls. He then left Napal and the Himalaya Mountains… and went westward, preaching to diverse peoples of the supreme perfection of man.” [VI. 1-5]

“The words of Issa spread among the pagans, in the countries through which he traveled, and the inhabitants abandoned their idols… The fame of Issa’s sermons spread to the neighboring countries, and, when reached Persia, the priests were terrified and forbade the inhabitants to listen to him. But when they saw that all the villages welcomed him with joy, and eagerly listened to his preaching, they caused his arrest and brought him before the high priest, where he was submitted to the following interrogatory: Who is this new God of whom thou speakest?’… And Issa replied: ‘It is not of a new god that I speak, but of our heavenly Father… The Eternal Being says to your people … ‘It is to Me, and to Me only, that you owe all you possess, all that is around you, whether above or beneath you.’” [VII. 1; VIII. 1-11]

“After listening to him, the wise men resolved to do him no harm. In the night… they conducted him outside the walls and left him on the highway, hoping that he might soon become the prey of wild beasts. But, being protected by the Lord our God, Sait Issa continued his way unmolested… Issa, whom the Creator has chosen to recall the true God to the people that were plunged in depravities, was twenty-nine years of age when he arrived in the land of Israel.” [VIII, 23-24; IX.1] From this point, the narrative largely follows the Gospel accounts.

Notovitch writes in the concluding ‘Epitome,’ “In reading the life of Issa (Jesus Christ), we are at first struck by the similarity between some of its principal passages and the biblical narrative; while, on the other hand, we also find equally remarkable contradictions, which constitute the difference between the Buddhist version and that found in the Old and New Testaments. To explain this singularity, we must take into account the periods in which the facts were recorded. In childhood, we were taught to believe that the Pentateuch was written by Moses himself; but … contemporary savants have conclusively demonstrated, that in the days of Moses… there existed no writings… The Hindu chroniclers… thanks to the invention of the alphabet, were enabled to preserve, not fabulous legends, but a concise narrative of recent events…”

“It is to be supposed that Jesus Christ chose India, because Egypt made pert of the Roman possessions at that period, and… an active trade with India had spread marvelous reports in regard to the majestic character and inconceivable riches of art and scient in that wonderful country… Here the Evangelists again lose the thread of the terrestrial life of Jesus. St. Luke says: ‘He was in the desert until the day of his shewing unto Israel,’ which conclusively proves that no one knew where the young man had gone, to so suddenly reappear sixteen years later.”

He concludes, “As concerns the resurrection itself, it must be remarked that, according to the Buddhists, the soul of the just man was united to the Eternal Being, while the Evangelists and Apostles were wise in giving a plastic description of the resurrection, for otherwise… had the miracle been less material, their sermons would not have been stamped, in the eyes of the people, with that divine authority.”

This book will be of keen interest to this seeking ‘Jesus went to India [or elsewhere]’ or ‘Lost Years of Jesus’ books.