The True Story of Jesus Part 3
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Glossary of Key Terms

Caste. A term applied to the social groups in India which rank in a
hierarchical order. The four primary castes -- from highest to lowest --
are: Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (peasants), and
Sudras (unskilled laborers).

Cosmic Christ. Variously defined, but always seen as divine. Many New
Agers speak of him (it) as a universal, impersonal entity who -- among
other things -- indwelt the body of the human Jesus for three years
(from his baptism to his crucifixion).

Jains. Followers of Jainism. Jainism is a religious system of India that
arose in the sixth century B.C. in protest against the ritualism of
Hinduism and the authority of the Vedas. Jains are rigidly ascetic,
believing in a strict control of wrong thought and action as a means of
escaping from the transmigration of the soul (rebirth) that results from
one's past actions (karma).

Monism. A metaphysical theory which sees all reality as a unified whole.
Everything is seen as being composed of the same substance.

Sutras. Collections of aphorisms (or proverbs) which highlight the
teachings of the Vedas and Upanishads (Indian scriptures).

Vedas. The oldest and most sacred scriptures of Hinduism. (The word veda
means "sacred knowledge.")

Zoroastrians. Followers of Zoroastrianism, a Persian religion founded by
Zoroaster (c. 628 B.C.-c. 551 B.C.). Zoroastrianism is an ethical
religion which espouses an ongoing struggle between two primal spirits:
Ahura Mazda (the good spirit), and Angra Mainyu (the evil spirit). Ahura
Mazda will ultimately triumph.

Note: Additional technical terms used in this article are defined within
the text.

THE LIFE OF SAINT ISSA

As the story goes, in 1887, Nicolas Notovitch -- a Russian war
correspondent -- went on a journey through India. While en route to Leh,
the capital of Ladakh (in Northern India along the Tibetan border), he
heard a Tibetan lama (i.e., monk) in a monastery refer to a grand lama
named Issa (the Tibetan form of "Jesus"). Notovitch inquired further,
and discovered that a chronicle of the life of Issa existed with other
sacred scrolls at the Convent of Himis (about 25 miles from Leh).

Notovitch visited this convent and was told by the chief lama that a
scroll did in fact exist which provided details about the Prophet Issa.
This holy man allegedly preached the same doctrines in Israel as he
earlier did in India. The original scroll, the lama said, was written in
the Pali language and later translated into Tibetan. The Convent of
Himis possessed the Tibetan translation, while the original was said to
be in the library of Lhassa (the traditional capital of Tibet).

Notovitch eventually persuaded the lama to read the scroll to him, and
had it translated from Tibetan by an interpreter. According to
Notovitch, the literal translation of the scroll was "disconnected and
mingled with accounts of other contemporaneous events to which they bear
no relation," and so he took the liberty to arrange "all the fragments
concerning the life of Issa in chronological order and [took] pains to
impress upon them the character of unity, in which they were absolutely
lacking.He went without sleep for many nights so he could order and
remodel what he had heard.

From the scroll, Notovitch learned that "Jesus had wandered to India and
to Tibet as a young man before he began his work in Palestine.The
beginning of Jesus' alleged journey is described in the scroll this way:

When Issa had attained the age of thirteen years, the epoch when an
Israelite should take a wife, the house where his parents earned their
living...began to be a place of meeting for rich and noble people,
desirous of having for a son-in-law the young Issa, already famous for
his edifying discourses in the name of the almighty. Then it was that
Issa left the parental house in secret, departed from Jerusalem, and
with the merchants set out towards Sind, with the object of perfecting
himself in the Divine Word and of studying the laws of the great
Buddhas.

According to Notovitch, the scroll proceeds to explain how, after
briefly visiting with the Jains, young Issa studied for six years among
the Brahmins at Juggernaut, Rajagriha, Benares, and other Indian holy
cities. The priests of Brahma "taught him to read and understand the
Vedas, to cure by aid of prayer, to teach, to explain the holy
scriptures to the people, and to drive out evil spirits from the bodies
of men, restoring unto them their sanity.

While there, the story continues, Issa sought to teach the scriptures to
all the people of India -- including the lower castes. The Brahmins and
Kshatriyas (higher castes) opposed him in this, and told him that the
Sudras (a lower caste) were forbidden to read or even contemplate the
Vedas. Issa denounced them severely for this.

Because of Issa's controversial teachings, a death plot was devised
against him. But the Sudras warned him and he left Juggernaut,
establishing himself in Gautamides (the birthplace of the Buddha
Sakyamuni) where he studied the sacred writings of the Sutras. "Six
years after, Issa, whom the Buddha had elected to spread his holy word,
had become a perfect expositor of the sacred writings. Then he left
Nepal and the Himalayan mountains, descended into the valley of
Rajputana, and went towards the west, preaching to diverse peoples the
supreme perfection of man."[6] Following this, we are told, Issa briefly
visited Persia where he preached to the Zoroastrians. Then, at 29, he
returned to Israel and began to preach all that he had learned.

According to Notovitch's "scroll," by the end of Issa's three-year
ministry, Pilate had become so alarmed at his mushrooming popularity
that he ordered one of his spies to accuse him falsely. Issa was then
imprisoned and tortured by soldiers to force a confession which would
permit his being executed. The Jewish priests tried to act in Issa's
behalf, but to no avail. Issa was falsely accused and Pilate ordered the
death sentence:

At sunset the sufferings of Issa came to an end. He lost consciousness,
and the soul of this just man left his body to become absorbed in the
Divinity...Meanwhile, Pilate became afraid of his action and gave the
body of the saint to his parents, who buried it near the spot of his
execution...Three days after, the governor sent his soldiers to carry
away the body of Issa to bury it elsewhere, fearing otherwise a popular
insurrection. The next day the crowd found the tomb open and empty. At
once the rumor spread that the supreme Judge had sent his angels to
carry away the mortal remains of the saint in whom dwelt on earth a part
of the Divine Spirit.

Following this, some merchants in Palestine traveled to India,
came upon some people who had known Issa as a casual student of Sanskrit
and Pali during his youth in India, and filled them in on Issa's demise
at the hands of Pilate. And, as the story concludes, Life of Saint Issa
written on a scroll -- author(s) unknown -- three or four years later.

Nicholas Roerich. In The Lost Years of Jesus, Elizabeth Clare Prophet
documents other supporters of Notovitch's work, the most prominent of
which was Nicholas Roerich. Roerich -- a Theosophist -- claimed that
from 1924 to 1928 he traveled throughout Central Asia and discovered
that legends about Issa were widespread. In his book, Himalaya, he makes
reference to "writings" and "manuscripts" about Issa -- some of which he
claims to have seen and others about which people told him. Roerich
recorded independently in his own travel diary the same legend
of Issa that Notovitch had seen earlier.

THE AQUARIAN GOSPEL OF JESUS THE CHRIST

Another major source for the New Age Jesus is The Aquarian Gospel of
Jesus the Christ, written by Civil War army chaplain Levi Dowling
(1844-1911). The title page of this "gospel" bears the words:
"Transcribed from the Book of God's Remembrances, known as the Akashic
Records." (Occultists believe the physical earth is surrounded by an
immense spiritual field known as "Akasha" in which is impressed every
impulse of human thought, will, and emotion. It is therefore believed to
constitute a complete record of human history.) Hence, unlike Notovitch
whose conclusions were based on an alleged objective ancient document,
Levi's book is based on an occult form of illumination.

The bulk of Levi's gospel, first published in 1911, focuses on the
education and travels of Jesus. After studying with Rabbi Hillel (a
Jewish scholar), Jesus allegedly traveled to India where he spent years
studying among the Brahmins and Buddhists.

Jesus became interested in studying in the East after Joseph
(Jesus' father) hosted Prince Ravanna from India. During his visit,
Ravanna asked "that he might be the patron of the child; might take him
to the East where he could learn the wisdom of the Brahms. And Jesus
longed to go that he might learn: and after many days his parents gave
consent." So "Jesus was accepted as a pupil in the temple Jagannath; and
here he learned the Vedas and the Manic laws.

Jesus then visited the city of Benares of the Ganges. While there,
"Jesus sought to learn the Hindu art of healing, and became the pupil of
Udraka, greatest of the Hindu healers. And Jesus "remained with
Udraka until he had learned from him all there was to be learned of the
Hindu art of healing.

Levi proceeds to chronicle a visit to Tibet, where Jesus allegedly met
Meng-ste, the greatest sage of the East: "And Jesus had access to all
the sacred manuscripts, and, with the help of Meng-ste, read them
all.

Jesus eventually arrived in Egypt, and -- in what must be considered a
climax of this account of the "lost years" -- he joined the "Sacred
Brotherhood" at Heliopolis. While there, he passed through seven degrees
of initiation -- Sincerity, Justice, Faith, Philanthropy, Heroism, Love
Divine, and THE CHRIST. The Aquarian Gospel records the bestowal of this
highest degree: "The hierophant arose and said...upon your brow I place
this diadem, and in the Great Lodge of the heavens and earth you are THE
CHRIST....You are a neophyte no more; but God himself will speak, and
will confirm your title and degree....And then a voice that shook the
very temple said, THIS IS THE CHRIST; and every living creature said,
AMEN.

Later, following his three-year ministry as THE CHRIST and his
subsequent death, Jesus' resurrection is described by Levi in terms of a
"transmutation" which all men may accomplish. He made many appearances
to people all over the world to substantiate this transmutation. For
example, he appeared to the "Silent Brotherhood" in Greece and said:
"What I can do all men can do. Go preach the gospel of the omnipotence
of man.

THE READINGS OF EDGAR CAYCE

Like Levi, Edgar Cayce had the ability to read the Akashic Record
while in a trance. During his life, he gave over 16,000 readings, 5,000
of which deal with religious matters. It was from the Akashic Record
that Cayce set forth an elaborate explanation of the early years of
Jesus.

The person we know as Jesus, Cayce tells us, had 29 previous
incarnations: "These included an early sun worshipper, the author of the
Book of the Dead, and Hermes, who was supposedly the architect of the
Great Pyramid. Jesus was also Zend (the father of Zoroaster), Amilius
(an Atlantean) and other figures of ancient history."[29] Other
incarnations include Adam, Joseph, Joshua, Enoch, and Melchizedek.

This particular soul did not become "the Christ" until the thirtieth
incarnation -- as Jesus of Nazareth. The reason Jesus had to go through
so many incarnations is that he -- like all other human beings -- had
"karmic debt" (sin) to work off.

Jesus received a comprehensive education. Prior to his twelfth year, he
attained a thorough knowledge of the Jewish law. "From his twelft
knowledge of the Jewish law. "From his twelfth to his fifteenth or
sixteenth year he was taught the prophecies by Judy [an Essene teacher]
in her home at Carmel. Then began his education abroad. He was sent
first again into Egypt for only a short period, then into India for
three years, then into that later called Persia....From Persia he was
called to Judea at the death of Joseph, then went into Egypt for the
completion of his preparation as a teacher. During his
studies abroad, Jesus studied under many teachers (including Kahjian in
India, Junner in Persia, and Zar in Egypt), and learned healing, weather
control, telepathy, astrology, and other psychic arts. When his
education was complete, he went back to his homeland where he performed
"miracles

JESUS THE CHRIST AND HIS TEACHINGS

There are many differing views regarding how Jesus attained
"Christhood." As we have seen, Levi said Jesus went through seven
degrees of initiation, the seventh being THE CHRIST. Cayce said Jesus
became "the Christ" in the thirtieth incarnation. Many modern New Agers
say the human Jesus merely "attuned" to the cosmic Christ, or achieved
at-one-ment with the Christ by raising his own "Christ-consciousness."
But however Jesus attained "Christhood," New Agers agree that he was a
teacher par excellence of New Age "truths."

New Agers generally do one of two things with the teachings of Jesus.
Some merely reinterpret the gospel sayings of Jesus to make it appear
that Jesus was actually teaching New Age "truth." Others add that
long-lost (New Age) sayings of Jesus have been rediscovered. These
"rediscovered" sayings can have one of two sources: reputed ancient
extracanonical writings (like the "Gnostic gospels" which were allegedly
suppressed by the early church and rediscovered at Nag Hammadi in 1945)
and the Akashic Record. Let us now consider samplings of each of these.

The Gospel Sayings of Jesus. According to New Agers, we must all seek
first the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 6:33), recognizing that the "kingdom"
has reference to our inner divinity. For indeed, Jesus said "Ye are
gods" (John 10:34). The parable about those who foolishly build a house
on sand (Matt. 7:24-27) teaches us that those who fail to recognize
their divinity will not be able to stand against the storms of life.[32]
But if we come unto Jesus, we will find rest, for his yoke (i.e., yoga)
is easy and his burden is light (Matt. 11:28-30).[33]

"Newly Discovered" Sayings from Extracanonical Sources. Jesus taught a
form of pantheism according to The Life of Saint Issa, for he said that
"the Eternal Spirit [God] is the soul of all that is animate.He
also taught that all humans have unlimited potential: "I came to show
human possibilities....that which I am, all men will be.And,
according to the Gnostic gospels, Jesus spoke of "illusion and
enlightenment, not of sin and repentance. Indeed, man can save
himself: "If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth
will save you.

"Newly Discovered" Sayings from the Akashic Record. According to Levi's
Aquarian Gospel, Jesus was just a way-shower: "And all the people were
entranced, and would have worshipped Jesus as God; but Jesus said, I am
your brother man just come to show the way to God; you shall not worship
man."[38] Jesus also taught pantheism and monism: "The universal God is
one, yet he is more than one [i.e., he takes many forms]; all things are
God; all things are one. Jesus also tells us that "the nations of
the earth see God from different points of view, and so he does not seem
the same to every one.

Go To Chapter 4 of the true story of Jesus
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