Sunday, June 25, 2006

Where different religious traditions meet: some snippets

Prophet Noah is called Noo in Arabic and other Middle Eastern languages. He might well be the Hindu lawgiver Manu (ma-noo). The story of the flood is similar in Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Noah had three sons, Sam [Shem], Ham and Yafth [Ja’pheth]. Nazim Sewharwi, a scholar, wrote that Sam is the Semitic word for the moon. All Chañdr Vañshî (‘lunar dynasty’) people are Sam’s descendants. Yafth means ‘the sun’ and his lineage is known as Sûrya Vañshî (‘solar dynasty’).[i]
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Lord Jesus Christ’s imminent coming was arguably predicted in Buddhist literature. Maitreya/ Metteyya is possibly the Indian word for Messiah while Bagwâ Metteyya means ‘White Skinned Messiah.’ Some even argue that Râhula is Sanskrit for Ruhullâh, the essence of God. (The English “T” and “Th” correspond to “S" in Arabic and Persian.)[ii]
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Lord Shiv occupies a unique position in Himâlayan Buddhism. The Buddhists know him as Lhâ Chang-chhub Chhen-bo (i.e. the most powerful lord). Paldan Lhâmo, also known as Srî Dévî, is an incarnation of Saraswati Dévî and Târâ. She protects the Buddhist doctrine and is found in every Buddhist monastery of the Ge Lugs Pâ sect.
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The Holy Qur'ân mentions Prophet Dhu’l (or Zu’l) Kifl, about whom Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was always silent. Zu or dhu means 'of.' Kifl probably means Kapil because Arabic does not have a ‘p.’ Therefore, this was Lord Buddha of Kapila.
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Lord Buddha advised against ten ‘non-goodnesses.’ Five of them, and the order in which they occur, are exactly the same as the last five of the Ten Commandments of Judeo-Christianity. These are: killing a living creature, theft, adultery, lying and avarice. The other five are: creating misunderstandings, hurtful words, silly words, wanting to cause injury, and incorrect beliefs.


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[i] Nazim Sewharwi’s Nigaristan i Kashmir, pp. 339- 340, quoted in Aziz Kashmiri’s ‘Christ in Kashmir’ p.30
[ii] ‘Christ in Kashmir’ p.54, citing ‘Sacred Books of the East’

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