ONE FAMILY PLAN
Story Truths and Threads alike...
"From the light we have come and to the light we all shall return."- Josiane Antonette, near-death experiencer
"And nations shall come to your light, and kings to THE BRIGHTNESS OF YOUR RISING." (Isaiah 60:3)
The Buddha:
His mother had a dream... a large white elephant [symbol of sovereignty] entered her side. Brahmin-priests said the child would either grow up to be a great emperor or a great holy man who would teach the world.
The Christ:
"...WE SAW HIS STAR when it rose and have come to worship him." (Matt 2:2)
"...that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:20-21) "...These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Rev 7:14)
Buddha:
The child was born, took 7 steps, and announced: "I am the highest... the foremost in the world. This is my last birth; now there is no renewal of being for me."
Christ:
"...let seven periods of time pass over him." (Dan 4:16) "...that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men." (Dan 4:17) "...the Lamb will overcome... He is Lord of lords and King of kings..." (Rev 17:14) "He who overcomes... shall go out no more..."(Rev 3:12)
Buddha:
It was predicted that Siddhartha would only become a king if he was not confronted with death, disease and old age... life's un-pleasantries. His father made him to live in luxury to avoid these things... but one day Siddhartha questioned the world outside. In fact, confrontation is necessary... "Life is suffering." ...Buddha
Christ:
"...ALL YOUR PERSECUTIONS AND TRIBULATIONS that ye endure; Which is a manifest token [display] ...OF the RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT [Gk: 'just judging'] OF GOD... All these things must occur ...that ye may be counted WORTHY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, for which ye also SUFFER." (2 Thes. 1:4-5) "...Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matthew 25:40)
Buddha:
Per the king the city was cleaned and Siddhartha rode through the streets in a carriage. However, the dark side could not be hid. He saw an old man lying in the streets, dressed in rags and begging...
"He who greets and constantly revers the aged, four things will increase to him; life, beauty, happiness, power." (Buddhism, Dham. 109) "As a full jar overflowing pours out the liquid and keeps back nothing, even so shall your charity be without reserve-as a jar overturned." (Buddhism, The First Perfection, Sutta-Pitaka, Buddha Vasma)
Christ:
"You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man..." (Lev 19:32) "Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus." (2 Tim 2:3, ESV) "...we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" (Acts 20:35)
Buddha:
Siddhartha was told he was just an old man, some people end up like him, and he should forget about him. He could not. Finally, permission was granted for him to see the city undecorated... as it really is... This time the celebration ceased. People were very busy, happily working very hard. He found a man lying on the ground, covered with sores and barely able to breathe.
Christ:
"...I was sick and you visited me..." (Mat 25:36) "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Gal 6:2)
Buddha:
"When asked what was wrong with him, Channa, his guide replied: 'He is sick my prince. Please stay away from him, or you may become ill too!' He could not sleep that night, consumed with thoughts of 'Old Age' and 'Illness.' Siddhartha returned again to the city... he witnessed a group of people carrying a flat board carrying the body of a motionless man covered in flames. He asked: 'Why is that man lying there while the flames burn him up?' Channa replied, 'He is dead my prince. No life flows through him - it has left the body. Flames cannot hurt him now.'" Siddharta was informed that we all die.
Christ:
"Jesus said unto him, LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR DEAD: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:60) "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death." (1 John 3:14 NIV) "For our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:29) "I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting." (Isaiah 50:6)
Buddha:
Shocked by these many new concepts he could not sleep again... another visit to the city... there was a man in an orange robe that seemed very happy... "who is that man and why is he smiling" Siddhartha asked. Channa replied, "That is a monk, my prince. He asks for offerings of food from people and walks around telling them how to live in peace and harmony."
"...the virtuous man pervades every direction." (Buddhism, Dhammapada 54) "...their great teachings resound like the lion's roar..." (Buddhism, Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti 1)
Christ:
"...the root of the righteous shall not be moved." (Prov 12:3) "Now you are the body of Christ..." (1 Cor 12:27) "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor 5:21)
Buddha:
He tells himself he must become a monk! While sitting under a tree he was told his wife had given birth. A great weight fell on his shoulders. At the celebration he was distant. He fell asleep and woke surrounded by drunken partiers. Offended by this, he went into his wife and son, watched them sleep for a time, and made a decision... "I must leave this place and live the life of a monk. I have to find a way to defeat 'Old Age', 'Illness', and 'Death.'"
Christ:
"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." (Rev 21:4)
Buddha:
The palace had become his prison. He slipped away to become a monk. Studying under various teachers, he absorbed everything quickly. Soon he was their equal. Who would teach him now? He met 5 that had left their lives of luxury with the same quest: Kondanna, Bhadduya, Wappa, Mahanama, and Assaji. They became his good friends and watched out for him. For 6 years he lived as his ascetic friends, pushing his body to the limits, living on 1 grain of rice a day and meditating constantly. He became unseemly thin and finally concluded: "This is not the way to find the answers I seek."
Christ:
"If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations... Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch (referring to things that all perish as they are used) ...according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh." (Col 2:20-23, ESV)
Buddha:
A young girl found Siddhartha, the young Gautama, sitting under a Banyan tree and offered him the rice milk she had prepared. He accepted, thanking her and bathing in the river next to the tree. His friends thought he had quit the pursuit and they left him. Once bathed, Siddhartha sat under the tree and said, "I will not leave this spot until I have achieved enlightenment."
Christ:
"If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my struggle I WILL WAIT UNTIL MY CHANGE COMES..." (Job 14:14-15) "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31) "For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness." (Gal 5:5)
Buddha:
It was 5-7 weeks that he meditated under the Bodhi tree, tempted by Mara. He was offered the beautiful daughters of Mara and his army. He was not afraid and he would not concede.
Christ:
"Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan..." (Matthew 4:8-10)
Buddha:
Siddhartha touched the earth and called upon her, testifying to be left alone based on previous deeds. Mara relinquished his attempts and Siddhartha became enlightened, becoming the Buddha
Christ:
"Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him." (Matthew 4:11) "And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure." (1 John 3:3)
Buddha:
Given the option of vanishing from Earth into Nirvana and becoming absorbed by the universe or staying to teach others, he was doubtful that his insight and state of consciousness could be taught. In the end, he stayed. Once again he befriended the 5 ascetics who in turn became his first followers.
Christ:
"When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all." (1 Cor 15:28)
