The jesus messiah sutra is believed to be the earliest chinese translation of a christian text. The five hundred disciples receive their predictions 9 chapter ix. When i was twentyone i had exactly the same experience of seeing my future and my death and i started reading gurdjieff and spiritual books. Most of the jesus sutras ive read so far in palmers book certainly havent been as interesting as the gospel of thomas was. The concern of the heart sutra and all the sutras the buddha spoke is simply the life and death of living beings. In 1907, in a remote region of china, explorers discovered a vast treasure trove of ancient scrolls. The socalled jesus sutras from seventh century china remind us of other.
What we can do, however, is to compare the dharma as presented by the christ with the dharma as presented by the buddha in a simple and open and honest fashion. The taoist christians, who wrote the jesus sutras recognized equality of the. The secret sayings of ye su asian temples in a digital world. Aug 22, 2011 the jesus sutras, in a nutshell, are a set of eight chinese scrolls from the seventh and eighth centuries that combine the teachings of jesus with the principles of eastern thought. Ap world history chapter 10 vocab flashcards quizlet. The lost sutras of jesus is a fascinating historical journey and spiritual quest into the heart of jesuss teachings and the essence of eastern religion. Among the sutras, those known as the agama meaning teachings handed down by tradition sutras are said to have been compiled earliest. The people have a true nature, they weave their cloth, they farm to produce food. The manuscripts date from between 635, the year of alopens arrival in china, and around, when the cave at. For this reason, we must practice diligently destroying the unwholesome mental factors, which. The jesusmessiah sutra is believed to be the earliest chinese translation of a christian text.
The first sentence of the article is incorrect it now reads, the jesus sutras are early chinese language manuscripts of christian teachings. Sutras as being authentic although acknowledging the controversy as to the possibility of additional sutras being added posthumorously. Ballantine, 2001, which is where my quotations from the stone come from. The name jesus sutras is frequently applied to a number of ancient chinese christian texts, most if not all unfortunately of nestorian origin but not always reflecting this theologically.
The earliest years of christianity in china the china history podcast, produced by laszlo montgome duration. This sutra is entirely in accord with both the mahayana and theravada traditions. Alopen was from persia, and is the first recorded christian missionary to. The jesus sutras by martin palmer, eva wong, hardcover. Click download or read online button to get jesus on the silk road book now. The full 18 sutra citizens program and how to do it plus the even more secret governors sutras for invisibility and more.
The pattern of theological authority and the problem of doctrinal development 747 kevin j. Surprisingly even astonishingly, in light of their sometimes remarkable content and the appeal one would have expected them to have for western converts to. The problem of the new testaments use of the old testament 702 douglas j. In fact, the early versions palmer discusses first seem little more than poor translations of western versions. But if the selection published here in a very elegant translation is anything to go by, they are end page 190 extremely significant religious documents with a spiritual value all their own. Alopen was from persia, and is the first recorded christian missionary to have ever reached china. It was one of the documents brought to china by a missionary named alopen during the tang dynasty. Whether or not buddhas appear in the world, the tathagatagarbhas of all beings are eternal and unchanging. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Unlocking the ancient wisdom of the xian monks is an expansive introduction to the fascinating and insightful discoveries and explorations of the aged and.
The jesus sutras and early chinese christianity youtube. Original nature not original sin extract from the jesus. They are based on the secondcentury syriac text teachings of the apostles, which persian missionaries brought to china around 635 ad and translated into chinese, with the financial. Among them, written in chinese, were scrolls that recounted a history of jesus life and teachings in beautiful taoist concepts and imagery that were unknown in the west. The jesus sutras is a very true study in the ability to see the cultural influence from an oriental perspective. For jesus presents his own dharma, his own eternal truth, his own way, his own holy spirit, and his own inner spring. Th is new translation, freely available to all seekers, includes the oral comments of several contemporary senior monks. They are based on the secondcentury syriac text teachings of the apostles, which persian missionaries brought to china around 635 ad and translated into chinese, with the financial support of the emperor. The jesus sutras, in a nutshell, are a set of eight chinese scrolls from the seventh and eighth centuries that combine the teachings of jesus with the principles of eastern thought. Martin palmer is the secretary general of the alliance of religions and conservation arc, and the authortranslator of the jesus sutras. In the jesus sutras eminent theologian martin palmer provides the first popular history and translation of these extraordinary sacred texts.
Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Some of the sutras are similar to christian texts that westerners would knowtheres the story of jesus, for instance. Chinese rendering by master paramiti of central north india at chih chih monastery, canton, china, a. Introduction here is a description of the beginning from one of these writings. You alone do not revolve on the wheel of birth and death, you of the eternal.
Jesus on the silk road download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. In particular, this tradition offered its followers a more hopeful vision of life on earth and after death than the dominant eastern religions, teaching that jesus had broken the wheel. Reflections on jesus view of the old testament 669 craig l. Jesus sutras written texts of the nestorian church, conveyed the christian message using buddhist and daoist concepts, derived from a variety of chinese politics, called christianity luminous religion, from 635 persian nestorian church. As with the ethiopian understanding, the emphasis on specific application is highly influenced by the existing cultural demeanor. A description of the socalled jesus sutras and the religion of light, the branch of. Each of the eight items discussed can be a subject of meditation, and each of these subjects can be further divided. Dating from the 5th to 11th centuries ad, they recounted a taoist interpretation of jesus life and teachings that was beautiful, inspiring and unique. Book iii of patanjalis sutras, entire text used by the movement for developing tmsidhi program, with notes and commentary.
These sutras belong to the category of teachings later classified as hinayana lesser vehicle, also called shravakayana the vehicle of the voicehearers. They are based on the secondcentury syriac text teachings of the apostles, which persian missionaries brought to china around 635 ad and translated into chinese. The jesus sutras, in a nutshell, are a set of eight chinese scrolls from. This dharma of jesus is a teaching to be followed and experienced. I have learned much about the jesus sutras, the ancient chinese christian manuscripts from the luminous religion jingjiao produced in tangdynasty china. These in 1907, explorers discovered a vast treasure trove of ancient scrolls, silk paintings, and artifacts dating from the 5th to 11th centuries a.
When i was 28 i read the words, the yoga sutras of patanjali in the prospectus for a yoga teacher training course. First of all, i shall seek to clarify which jesusthat is, whose jesuswe are. For over 30 years i have been profoundly interested in the faiths, cultures, history and philosophies of ancient china. Palmer tells the story in his book, the jesus sutras new york. Zhuang shows how people have been corrupted by those who wished to control them, just as the poor horses were destroyed and damaged by the actions of po. Most especially, i have been intrigued by that strange phenomenon, ancient christianity in china. The jesus sutras teach that because peoples innate good nature had become confused and obscured christians might say marred by sin, god had to come to earth as ye su jesus. Oct 30, 2014 the earliest years of christianity in china the china history podcast, produced by laszlo montgome duration. Jesus sutras the name jesus sutras is frequently applied to a number of ancient chinese christian texts, most if not all. This is an excellent book to see the commonality in the christ message and to see the difference. First off, id like to say that the subject here is fascinating. Commentary abridged by chan master han shan 15461623. In fact, i was able to view the four jingjiao manuscripts owned by the kyou shooku library when they were put on public display in a special exhibition in 2010. The taoist christians, who wrote the jesus sutras recognized equality of the sexes, preached against slavery, and practiced nonviolence toward all forms of life.
The manuscripts date from between 635, the year of alopens arrival in china, and around. Rediscovering the lost scrolls of taoist christianity, published by piatkus books 2001 as well as the penguin classics translation of the book of chuang tzu, a compilation of the great daoist philosopher from the fifth century bce. Rediscovering the lost scrolls of taoist christianity. Included in this treasure trove were the jesus sutras, which are now scattered in museums and private collections, largely inaccessible to the public. Although classical indian historians pay little detail to linear aspects of time, suffice it to say that the yoga sutras were most likely penned somewhere around the time of jesus, plus or minus 200 years. Therefore, my lord ye su, the one emanating in three subtle bodies, hid his true power, became a human, and came on behalf of the lord of heaven to preach. Rediscovering the lost scrolls of taoist christianity 9780345434241.
In the beginning was the natural constant, the true stillness of the origin, and the primordial void of the most high. An ancient message for a postmodernist future by martin palmer. I started doing yoga every night without telling anyone. Jesus continued to shape the spiritual imagination of his followers after his death.
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