Lord Jesus Christ and India
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Indic Thought and Christianity
MN Kundu, Dec 24, 2019: The Times of India
Profound spiritual realisation and consequential precepts of Jesus Christ made so much quantum contribution in the then Abrahamic tenets and traditions that many scholars tend to believe during the prolonged missing period of his annals he came in close contact with existing masters of yoga, Vedanta and Buddhism. Leaving aside that historically inconclusive school of thinking, we can fairly conclude that his precepts, flowing from the depth of ultimate realisation, bear striking similarity with Indic spirituality, evidencing essential unity of religions at apex level, despite external differences.
Realisation of the Absolute as immutable Spirit is inexpressible. The Buddha maintained silence on the metaphysical ultimate and Vedanta expressed it in terms of negation, “Nedam yadidam upasate – Not that, what is worshipped.” Likewise, Jesus maintained meaningful silence on Truth during his trial, despite repeated questions. However, worship calls for conceivable concept and construction of intimate relation with God, like heavenly Father, as done by Jesus. He also advised to seek God within and in Spirit, resembling our dualism, qualified non-dualism and non-dualism.
Vedanta described expression of Spirit as cosmic vibration, Aum.
Maharshi Patanjali mentioned that denotation of the ultimate is Pranava or ever-new cosmic vibration, in which creation is rooted and which appears differently at different stages of spiritual progress. And look what Jesus said, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”
Asserting his eternal identity with the Spirit, Jesus exclaimed, “I and my Father are one ... Before Abraham was, I am.” Such proclamations can be easily explained in terms of Indic spirituality, where Supreme realisation led to utter aphorisms like, “Aham Brahmasmi, I am That.” An outstanding discovery of Indic spirituality is that the human body-mind complex is a microcosm of the universe and the image of God can be realised in chakras, the cerebrospinal columns. Jesus said likewise, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that spirit of God dwelleth in you? ... Ye are gods and all of you are children of the most High.” It instantly reminds us of the famous Vedantic aphorism “Tat Twam Asi”.
“Atmanam Biddhi, Know Thyself,” had been ancient India’s motto, as eternal life lies in Spirit. Similarly, Jesus commanded, “First ye seek the kingdom of heaven and its righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” “Kingdom of Heaven” refers to supreme joy of Being and “all these things” mean bliss at the highest level of consciousness.
Patanjali stressed on maitri bhavana while the Buddha made a complete curriculum on the same for development of deeper insight through self-expansion. And Jesus advised, “Love thy neighbours as thyself.” By neighbours he meant entire humanity. Unless we become nonjudgmental we cannot love others. Hence he said, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” And his final prayer, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Saranagati, complete surrender to God’s will is something advocated by both Christ and Indic tradition. He willfully accepted the divine design – his crucifixion followed by resurrection in Spirit.
A deeper understanding of religions unites us at the level of highest spiritual consciousness with a sense of divine singularity.
