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Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Lao Tzu: The Parallel Sayings
This book organizes hundres of sayings attributed to Jesus, Buddha, Krishna and Lao Tzu into topices such as, "The Great Way" and God, Tao and Universal Mind," and assembles the sayings into four parallel columns for easy reference. Edited from over fifty ancient Christian, Buddhist, Hindu and Taoist texts, Parallel Sayings demonstrates the common thread that runs through all mystical traditions. The author/editor prefaces each top with an introduction that is insightful and sends a powerful message that will be welcomed by all who seek the truth within, and within their own spiritual tradition.
192 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 6, 2013
Today I learned a new term: Progressive Christian. One of the several descriptors of a Progressive Christian is one who honors other faith traditions as a viable path to God. I was so encouraged by this. At the young age of 29 after having attended an Episcopal Church only a handful of times and knowing absolutely nothing about its traditions, I looked the priest square in the face and said ever so assertively: "I believe that the world's major religions are all cultural interpretations of the same God." I wasn't sure what kind of response I was expecting...I was simply testing his response to see if this was the kind of place I wanted to be a part of. He smiled and said that was the most intelligent and thoughtful thing he'd heard from anyone in awhile and said I was certainly welcome at his table. Of course, I stayed...and the rest is history. Progressive then...Progressive now. Progressive Christian. Currently reading the book below. Here's just one example: Jesus: When you pray, enter your hidden chamber and shut the door. Krishna: Shut out the physical world. Control the mind. Then you will become free. Buddha: Meditate deeply. Lao Tzu: Close the door and shut out the senses. Do this and you will never be exhausted.
Can't think of how four completely separate doctrines can be so similar if not for a common Center: God.
Namaste!
Can't think of how four completely separate doctrines can be so similar if not for a common Center: God.
Namaste!
July 4, 2012
The sayings of Jesus in this book are mainly accessibly translated verses from Gnostic sources. The author's purpose seems to be seeking out the earliest recorded sayings of Jesus in order to shed light on what his original sayings might have been. From these sources, he then draws parallels between early Gnostic sayings with those of Krishna, Buddha and La Tzu. If readers are looking for the sayings of Jesus most familiar to them, they will not find them in this volume.
As I read, the purpose for why I was reading the book changed. I have had a lingering interest in the Gnostic gospels since reading Doctrine and Covenants Section 91 which guardedly recommends gnostic study to Latter-day Saints. While I started the book hoping to find familiar sayings of Jesus contrasted with sayings of Eastern sages, I ended up pursuing my interest in learning and studying gnostic/apocryphal scriptures. On that score, the appendix chapter on the sources used and descriptions of a number of Gnostic gospels offers an excellent reference to continue further study of apocryphal scripture. I will likely refer to it repeatedly while deciding which gnostic gospel to read next.
I would like to see another volume such as this one that focused on the familiar sayings of Jesus. I would also like to see an additional column added that includes the canon of the 4th Abrahamic religion (Mormonism) that is often not given much attention by religious scholars. The book I most want to read is one such as "Parallel Sayings" but that also contains scriptures from The Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. Also missing from Hooper's "Parallel Sayings" are the words of Mohammed and the voice of Islam. Even to be considered comprehensive in the current scene of comparative religion, Islam needed to be included.
As I read, the purpose for why I was reading the book changed. I have had a lingering interest in the Gnostic gospels since reading Doctrine and Covenants Section 91 which guardedly recommends gnostic study to Latter-day Saints. While I started the book hoping to find familiar sayings of Jesus contrasted with sayings of Eastern sages, I ended up pursuing my interest in learning and studying gnostic/apocryphal scriptures. On that score, the appendix chapter on the sources used and descriptions of a number of Gnostic gospels offers an excellent reference to continue further study of apocryphal scripture. I will likely refer to it repeatedly while deciding which gnostic gospel to read next.
I would like to see another volume such as this one that focused on the familiar sayings of Jesus. I would also like to see an additional column added that includes the canon of the 4th Abrahamic religion (Mormonism) that is often not given much attention by religious scholars. The book I most want to read is one such as "Parallel Sayings" but that also contains scriptures from The Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. Also missing from Hooper's "Parallel Sayings" are the words of Mohammed and the voice of Islam. Even to be considered comprehensive in the current scene of comparative religion, Islam needed to be included.
February 3, 2013
Interesting reference. Author points out the difficulty putting such a work together, including copywrite laws and multiple translations. There are better commentaries and works that reflect the Perennial philosophy evident in wisdom teachings, such as Aldous Huxley's work.
March 12, 2013
Simply the best book of its kind that shares the sayings from all the masters and compares them side by side by topic. I love this book. Highly recommend for anyone seeking to compare the masters and what they said.
March 19, 2015
Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, & Lao Tzu: The Parallel Sayings by Richard Hooper is a quick, easy to read comparison of some of the teachings of four of the greatest spiritual teachers in written history. Presented thematically and side-by-side, each chapter contains an introduction to the chapters' themes, which include
The Great Way
God, Tao, and Universal Mind
Being One: Mind, Meditation, and Yoga
The Self
The I Am: In the Presence of the Avatar
Cutting Ties that Bind: The Path of Renunciation
Wisdom and Knowledge
Love and Compassion
Hypocrisy
Suffering
Karma and Reincarnation
Death and Immortality
Enlightenment and Liberation.
The Good: The format is great, and the quotes are easy to read and understand. For those looking for a quick introduction to how some of the teachings of these noteworthy individuals is similar, this is a good start.
The Bad: The author favors texts from Gnostic or Apocryphal Gospels over Canonical Gospels. That's right - *favors*. His interest is focused on Gnostic Christianity and how it compares to Eastern Religions. There is nothing wrong with this at all. However, the most widely accepted records of Jesus are given second preference to texts many people have never read or even heard of. Again, there is nothing wrong with this, but this preference makes the title a bit misleading - if you're looking for the comparison between Jesus' words in the Canonical Gospels and those of the Buddha, Krishna, and Lao Tzu, this book will give you some, but more than half of it will not be of interest. Additionally, there are sometimes canonical passages that work *better* than those the author has chosen. This is strange, but illustrates his preference for Gnostic texts over Canonical ones. In addition, not every quote or theme has parallels across all four traditions. A few chapters are mostly a comparison between Jesus and the Buddha.
The Ugly: Instead of using any particular translation of the many texts the author draws from, he instead chose to read many versions and reword them himself. This lessens his credibility in my book, making the comparison of these texts suspect. I would have preferred a side-by-side comparison of well-respected translations of these texts, but the author made an intentional choice to reword them. I don't think that was wise.
If you're looking for an accessible, side-by-side comparison of thematic teachings by these four great teachers, pick this up. Just don't use it as a reference in any academic papers, kids.
The Great Way
God, Tao, and Universal Mind
Being One: Mind, Meditation, and Yoga
The Self
The I Am: In the Presence of the Avatar
Cutting Ties that Bind: The Path of Renunciation
Wisdom and Knowledge
Love and Compassion
Hypocrisy
Suffering
Karma and Reincarnation
Death and Immortality
Enlightenment and Liberation.
The Good: The format is great, and the quotes are easy to read and understand. For those looking for a quick introduction to how some of the teachings of these noteworthy individuals is similar, this is a good start.
The Bad: The author favors texts from Gnostic or Apocryphal Gospels over Canonical Gospels. That's right - *favors*. His interest is focused on Gnostic Christianity and how it compares to Eastern Religions. There is nothing wrong with this at all. However, the most widely accepted records of Jesus are given second preference to texts many people have never read or even heard of. Again, there is nothing wrong with this, but this preference makes the title a bit misleading - if you're looking for the comparison between Jesus' words in the Canonical Gospels and those of the Buddha, Krishna, and Lao Tzu, this book will give you some, but more than half of it will not be of interest. Additionally, there are sometimes canonical passages that work *better* than those the author has chosen. This is strange, but illustrates his preference for Gnostic texts over Canonical ones. In addition, not every quote or theme has parallels across all four traditions. A few chapters are mostly a comparison between Jesus and the Buddha.
The Ugly: Instead of using any particular translation of the many texts the author draws from, he instead chose to read many versions and reword them himself. This lessens his credibility in my book, making the comparison of these texts suspect. I would have preferred a side-by-side comparison of well-respected translations of these texts, but the author made an intentional choice to reword them. I don't think that was wise.
If you're looking for an accessible, side-by-side comparison of thematic teachings by these four great teachers, pick this up. Just don't use it as a reference in any academic papers, kids.
June 19, 2013
This book pulls quotes from four sources--Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, and Taoist--and compares them side-by-side. The idea is that all four teach remarkably similar things, like universal mind / God, oneness, renunciation, wisdom, compassion, alleviating suffering, immortality, and enlightenment.
He does a decent job. You definitely get the sense of their similarities, but they're hardly "parallel sayings." They're not even sayings of Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, and Lao Tzu as the title suggests, but mostly sayings of their followers over the years. In the case of Jesus, most of the quotes come from an ancient unorthodox sect called the Gnostics, who haven't existed for millenia. This kind of felt like cheating, as he certainly would have had a much harder time drawing parallels between mainstream Christianity and the other three.
But that's all nit picking. The point is that enlightened wisdom is enlightened wisdom, irrespective of how you get there. You're going to get basically the same message no matter where you go: don't be materialistic, love your neighbor, and connect with something thing greater than your isolated self.
He does a decent job. You definitely get the sense of their similarities, but they're hardly "parallel sayings." They're not even sayings of Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, and Lao Tzu as the title suggests, but mostly sayings of their followers over the years. In the case of Jesus, most of the quotes come from an ancient unorthodox sect called the Gnostics, who haven't existed for millenia. This kind of felt like cheating, as he certainly would have had a much harder time drawing parallels between mainstream Christianity and the other three.
But that's all nit picking. The point is that enlightened wisdom is enlightened wisdom, irrespective of how you get there. You're going to get basically the same message no matter where you go: don't be materialistic, love your neighbor, and connect with something thing greater than your isolated self.
December 7, 2013
One of the most surprising things for people who begin studying comparative religion is that there are many parallels between the world's spiritual teachings. Among the most striking similarities are those found between Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism and Christianity. Author Richard Hooper provides a wonderful glimpse into the common teachings of these religions in this book which is sure to be a classic.
http://www.returnoftheway.com/
September 30, 2013
I had read holy books of different religions before this and so was interested in seeing how the different teachings compare and contrast with each other. This is a beautiful book and a joy to read. I would recommend this and Marcus Borg's Jesus & Buddha: The Parallel Sayings to anyone interested in learning about the different religions.
July 2, 2020
This is an interesting book potentially full of a lifetime's worth of wisdom, but unfortunately the author's clear agenda to create an image of a Gnostic Jesus is a constant distraction. Although there are four figureheads mentioned in the title, the majority of each chapter's introductory text focuses on Jesus and often mentions the wrongdoings of Orthodox Christianity in ignoring a Jesus more in line with eastern principles.
The main problem here is that less than half of the quotes attributed to Jesus are familiar quotes from the gospel canon, and many of the quotes come from Gnostic sources that the author himself admits were written between the late 2nd and 4th centuries, meaning their accuracy is severely questionable. Indeed, in the introduction, he writes, "Certain groups of New Testament scholars, such as the Jesus Seminar, suggest that as few as 18 percent of all the words attributed to Jesus in the canonical Gospels actually came from him, and even these are probably not in their original form. In the case of the apocryphal and Gnostic Gospels, the problem is even more pronounced." And yet he still chooses to include quotes that come from the most problematic Gnostic writings, such as the Pistis Sofia and The Thunder: Perfect Mind.
If you want a light introduction to Gnostic theology, this book is a decent--albeit biased--option. If you want to be convinced of the existence of a historical Jesus who was aligned with Buddha, Krishna, and Lao Tzu on matters of oneness, reincarnation, and "the way," you will probably be disappointed.
The main problem here is that less than half of the quotes attributed to Jesus are familiar quotes from the gospel canon, and many of the quotes come from Gnostic sources that the author himself admits were written between the late 2nd and 4th centuries, meaning their accuracy is severely questionable. Indeed, in the introduction, he writes, "Certain groups of New Testament scholars, such as the Jesus Seminar, suggest that as few as 18 percent of all the words attributed to Jesus in the canonical Gospels actually came from him, and even these are probably not in their original form. In the case of the apocryphal and Gnostic Gospels, the problem is even more pronounced." And yet he still chooses to include quotes that come from the most problematic Gnostic writings, such as the Pistis Sofia and The Thunder: Perfect Mind.
If you want a light introduction to Gnostic theology, this book is a decent--albeit biased--option. If you want to be convinced of the existence of a historical Jesus who was aligned with Buddha, Krishna, and Lao Tzu on matters of oneness, reincarnation, and "the way," you will probably be disappointed.
January 15, 2022
Richard Hooper pairs texts (mostly from the Gnostic Gospels) to show Gnostic Christianity is close to Eastern Religious philosophy. Because copyright was an issue he admitted to reading these sacred text in English translations and then rephrasing them himself. He claims Gnostic Christianity is closer to the authentic words of Jesus than the four gospels in the New Testament. This is not a sound scholastic work. He draws his own conclusions and only sights sources that agree with him. This book is a testimony of one man's beliefs and the texts that inspired them.
July 25, 2020
A interesting read especially those who want to learn about Eastern religions. As I find it easier to understand different cultures and beliefs if I start with understand the similarities first. This book does a great job at that.
October 5, 2017
It was nice to know that many of the world's religions say similar things. Maybe we all aren't so different in our beliefs after all!
April 8, 2018
It's really amazing how the deep Truth of all the teachings mirror one another so closely. Another book I need to add to my home library.
August 19, 2018
Interesting, but not as compelling as I had hoped.
November 15, 2018
Excellent
I thought it was very well written and it appears the necessary patience was taken with what must be a painstaking task of this nature.
I thought it was very well written and it appears the necessary patience was taken with what must be a painstaking task of this nature.
October 24, 2019
Shows that our differences are all different attempts at one truth. Had a few existential moments reading this book. Some great wisdom in these pages!
January 11, 2020
Extremely reassuring.
October 31, 2024
The one.
Read this book is my advice. It really connects what each of these four masters have said. It all comes together so well. You really CAN have it all. Eastern and western thoughts can be together and merge. Thank you for this wonderful book.
Read this book is my advice. It really connects what each of these four masters have said. It all comes together so well. You really CAN have it all. Eastern and western thoughts can be together and merge. Thank you for this wonderful book.
October 20, 2015
This book is a good side reference for someone who would like to learn about four major world religions (Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism), but I am afraid the utility of this book stops there. I understand that if you are trying to make the argument that "all religions come from a common source and are essentially the same", you will have to take some liberties in your interpretations and contexts of the teachings of each religion you are comparing. Bearing that in mind, you, the reader, must practice due diligence and go to the SOURCE of the original teaching being referenced. The author hopes to satisfy a lazy learner who has never read (or intends to the read) the Bible or the Hindu sacred books or Buddhist doctrine, etc.
Here is just one example where Hooper takes out of context a teaching of Jesus to fit it into the principle of what is known as meditation practiced by Eastern religions. In Matthew 6:6 Jesus said, "When you pray, enter your hidden chamber and shut the door". Hooper compares this statement to statements made by the Krishna, Buddha, Lao Tzu when talking about shutting out the world's distractions and meditating. However, if you READ WHAT IS JUST BEFORE THIS STATEMENT by Jesus in Matthew 6:5 (context) and what is just AFTER it (Matthew 6:7), you will understand that Jesus is teaching to pray to God the Father in private, so not to be like the Pharisees who made elaborate public prayers to show off to others just how "holy" they are.
Here is Jesus' complete message beginning from Matthew 6:5 - "When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 7"And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.…
As a matter of fact, after reading verse 7 in the context of comparison to meditating, you will find that Jesus is actually OPPOSED to meditation as he stated in Matthew 6:7, "do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.…". Most meditating I have heard is a repetition of a series of meaningless syllables and sounds to allow the mind to go "blank".
So the moral of the review here is to go back to the original sources of the teachings and make sure that Hooper's comparisons are fairly accounting for context with relation to statements made before and after the teaching comparison. In my personal opinion, all world religions are not the same with glaring differences among them. I suppose it is nice to say in theory that all world religions have a common source and outcome, but when you look at obvious major differences like afterlife, salvation, and the soul:
Christianity - faith and belief in God's chosen Christ sacrifice for all sins, leads to eternal life in heaven where one's soul will finally rest.
Hinduism - one's soul continues to be reincarnated on Earth and suffer for wrongs committed in the previous life until they are righted.
Buddhism - one can achieve Nirvana, a superior state of spiritual consciousness, right here on Earth.
One can only reason that they are actually more different than they are alike.
Here is just one example where Hooper takes out of context a teaching of Jesus to fit it into the principle of what is known as meditation practiced by Eastern religions. In Matthew 6:6 Jesus said, "When you pray, enter your hidden chamber and shut the door". Hooper compares this statement to statements made by the Krishna, Buddha, Lao Tzu when talking about shutting out the world's distractions and meditating. However, if you READ WHAT IS JUST BEFORE THIS STATEMENT by Jesus in Matthew 6:5 (context) and what is just AFTER it (Matthew 6:7), you will understand that Jesus is teaching to pray to God the Father in private, so not to be like the Pharisees who made elaborate public prayers to show off to others just how "holy" they are.
Here is Jesus' complete message beginning from Matthew 6:5 - "When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 7"And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.…
As a matter of fact, after reading verse 7 in the context of comparison to meditating, you will find that Jesus is actually OPPOSED to meditation as he stated in Matthew 6:7, "do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.…". Most meditating I have heard is a repetition of a series of meaningless syllables and sounds to allow the mind to go "blank".
So the moral of the review here is to go back to the original sources of the teachings and make sure that Hooper's comparisons are fairly accounting for context with relation to statements made before and after the teaching comparison. In my personal opinion, all world religions are not the same with glaring differences among them. I suppose it is nice to say in theory that all world religions have a common source and outcome, but when you look at obvious major differences like afterlife, salvation, and the soul:
Christianity - faith and belief in God's chosen Christ sacrifice for all sins, leads to eternal life in heaven where one's soul will finally rest.
Hinduism - one's soul continues to be reincarnated on Earth and suffer for wrongs committed in the previous life until they are righted.
Buddhism - one can achieve Nirvana, a superior state of spiritual consciousness, right here on Earth.
One can only reason that they are actually more different than they are alike.
May 15, 2014
This was a thoughtful book that compares each of the four spiritual leaders beliefs and teachings. Even though they each have different philisophies and different paths to enlightenment, you see how similar they are in many aspects. In my opinion, the author tries hard to be fair about each belief, but since I have many of my own beliefs afforded me by my own Mormon background, I feel the author is mistaken in some areas. It is worth reading however, and you come to realize that maybe we aren't all so different after all. We all need each other, we each need a spiritual compass for a better life and we need to have guides and fundamental truths to get us to a better place whether you are Christian, Buddhist or if you hold on to any other philisophy.
May 30, 2014
I loved this book. It only arrived in my post last night, and I stayed up all night reading it.
Whether your perspective is theological, philosophical, or historical, Hooper presents and explores the central themes, concepts and sayings in a highly digestible and well-considered way that will keep you engaged and enthralled as you meander through your our journey along with these great thinkers. The striking similarities of the various traditions offers us insight, compassion and hope that enlightenment is not exclusive to the chosen few of a single faith, but universally nourishing and accessible to all who dare to seek it - in earnest - through humility.
Whether your perspective is theological, philosophical, or historical, Hooper presents and explores the central themes, concepts and sayings in a highly digestible and well-considered way that will keep you engaged and enthralled as you meander through your our journey along with these great thinkers. The striking similarities of the various traditions offers us insight, compassion and hope that enlightenment is not exclusive to the chosen few of a single faith, but universally nourishing and accessible to all who dare to seek it - in earnest - through humility.
December 31, 2016
Interesting
This is an interesting reference to have on hand when comparing the words of the leaders of 4 of the most prominent world religions. It really isn't something to sit down and read cover to cover but has a lot of value as a book to be returned to again and again. Truth is truth no matter what the religion and this is a fascinating comparison.
This is an interesting reference to have on hand when comparing the words of the leaders of 4 of the most prominent world religions. It really isn't something to sit down and read cover to cover but has a lot of value as a book to be returned to again and again. Truth is truth no matter what the religion and this is a fascinating comparison.
April 10, 2016
I just loved this book. Through my own research in comparative religion, I have found that the teachers say the same truth. I loved seeing the words and teachings side by side in an organized topic format. Highly recommend!
June 10, 2011
Will read it again and again. This will be a book that I will continually return to for both information and inspiration.
January 11, 2016
Absolutely tremendous book, I'd buy a book with even just one of these figures' sayings but to have all 4 accessible & so brilliantly arranged according to theme is such a treat
March 22, 2017
I read it to better understand the harmony of the world's most revered scriptures but benefited most from a better understanding of the harmony of the gnostic and canonical gospels
October 1, 2012
A very enlightening read.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews