SRF Notes

Discussing the beliefs and teachings of Self-Realization Fellowship and Paramahansa Yogananda with historical context and critical thinking.

Did Jesus Travel to India?

12 year old Jesus talking with the learned sages of the Temple. Duccio, early 14th century.

Introduction

SRF / YSS members believe that during the “missing years” of Jesus (between 12 and 29), he visited India and studied and practiced yoga and / or Buddhist teachings there. The primary source for this topic is The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Christ Within You by Paramahansa Yogananda, published by SRF in 2004. The Second Coming of Christ is Yogananda’s interpretation of the New Testament. Many of the topics in this volume were previously published by Yogananda in his East-West magazine (later renamed Self-Realization magazine) or as Sunday sermons at one or other of his temples in California.

Missing Years of Jesus & Nicolas Notovitch

In The Second Coming of Christ, Yogananda writes of Jesus’s travels in India and the “regions of the Himalayas among the saints, monks, and pundits” and that the records of this journey were “discovered and copied by a Russian traveller, Nicolas Notovitch” at the monastery at Hemis in Leh, Ladakh.

Shortly after Notovitch’s book, Life of Saint Issa, was published, it was critiqued by linguist and translator of the Rig Veda, Max Müller. He added to his critique the accounts via letter from two other travelers to Leh, one of whom, a professor at Agra University, interviewed the head monk at the monastery of Hemis with an interpreter who signed a declaration that his statements were accurate.

Of Notovitch’s critics, Yogananda says, “Notovitch found that his enthusiasm for the discovery was not shared by the Western Christian Orthodoxy, which was loath to support such a radical revelation”, and that Notovitch “urged that a qualified research team be dispatched to view and judge for itself the value of these previously secreted documents.” From this statement it seems that Yogananda was unaware of Müller’s critique of Life of Saint Issa, and that a professor at Agra University had already visited the monastery to verify Notovitch’s accounts.

Video Debunking Nicholas Notovitch’s book:

Below is the text of the letter written from the Himas Monastary debunking Notovitch’s claims. If you’d like to view the source article with full context, including Max Muller’s original article, you can view them here: Collected Works of Max Müller, Last Essays, The Alleged Sojourn of Christ in India, pages 170 – 183

Letter from J. Archibald Douglas & Interview with Chief Lama at Himas Monastery (April 1896)

J. Archibald Douglas was a British Academic and professor of English and History at Government College in Agra.

In 1896 he travelled to Leh, Ladakh, and visited the Hemis Monastary to investigate the claims of Notovitch. Through an interpreter (Mr Joldan) spoke with the Chief Lama at Himas Monastery and in clear and straightforward terms (to avoid misunderstandings and mistranslations) asked him the following questions:

Question 1. You are the Chief Lama (or Abbot) of Hemis Monastery?

Answer 1. Yes.

Question 2. For how long have you acted continuously in that capacity?

Answer 2. For fifteen years.

Question 3. Have you or any of the Buddhist monks in this monastery ever seen here a European with an injured leg?

Answer 3. No, not during the last fifteen years. If any sahib suffering from serious injury had stayed in this monastery it would have been my duty to report the matter to the Wazir of Leh. I have never had occasion to do so.

Question 4. Have you or any of your monks ever shown any Life of Issa to any sahib, and allowed him to copy and translate the same?

Answer 4. There is no such book in the monastery, and during my term of office no sahib has been allowed to copy or translate any of the manuscripts in the monastery.

Question 5. Are you aware of the existence of any book in any of the Buddhist monasteries of Tibet bearing on the life of Issa?

Answer 5. I have been for forty-two years a Lama, and am well acquainted with all the well-known Buddhist books and manuscripts, and I have never heard of one 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.

Question 6. M. Nicolas Notovitch, a Russian gentleman who visited |672 your monastery between seven and eight years ago, states that you discussed with him the religions of the ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, and the people of Israel.

Answer 6. I know nothing whatever about the Egyptians, Assyrians, and the people of Israel, and do not know anything of their religions whatsoever. I have never mentioned these peoples to any sahib.

[I was reading M. Notovitch’s book to the Lama at the time, and he burst out with, ‘Sun, sun, sun, manna mi dug!’ which is Tibetan for, ‘Lies, lies, lies, nothing but lies!’ I have read this to him as part of the statement which he is to sign—-as his deliberate opinion of M. Notovitch’s book. He appears perfectly satisfied on the matter. J. A. D.]

Question 7. Do you know of any Buddhist writings in the Pâli language?

Answer 7. I know of no Buddhist writings in the Pâli langage; all the writings here, that I know of, have been translated from Sanskrit and Hindi into the Tibetan language.

[From this answer, and other observations of the Lama, it would appear that he is not acquainted with the term ‘Pâli.’—-J. A. D. ]

Question 8. Have you received from any sahib a present of a watch, an alarum, and a thermometer?

Answer 8. I have never received any such presents from any sahib. I do not know what a thermometer is. I am sure that I have not one in my possession.

[This answer was given after a careful explanation of the nature of the articles in question.—-J. A. D.]

Question 9. Do you speak Urdu or English?

Answer 9. I do not know either Urdu or English.

Question 10. Is the name of Issa held in great respect by the Buddhists?

Answer 10. They know nothing even of his name; none of the Lamas has ever heard it, save through missionaries and European sources.

Their letter is signed and dated by all three men on June 3, 1895.

Conclusion

Biblical scholar Bart D. Ehrman says that, “Today there is not a single recognized scholar on the planet who has any doubts about the matter. The entire story was invented by Notovitch, who earned a good deal of money and a substantial amount of notoriety for his hoax.”

Further Reading:

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