The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

In this controversial 1894 account, Russian explorer Nicolas Notovitch claims to have discovered ancient manuscripts in a Tibetan monastery detailing Jesus Christ's lost years in India. Blending travelogue with theological speculation, the text presents a fascinating historical mystery that challenges traditional narratives, inviting readers to ponder the possibility of a forgotten era in the Savior's life.

Summary up to 500 words

In *The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ*, Nicolas Notovitch recounts his travels through the Orient following the Turkish War, leading him to Ladak in India. While visiting a Buddhist convent, he learns from a chief lama of ancient memoirs in Lhassa detailing the life of Jesus Christ. To avoid suspicion regarding his Russian identity and intentions, Notovitch feigns a broken leg, forcing a return to the monastery. There, he successfully obtains copies of the chronicles from the library. With the aid of an interpreter, he transcribes the Tibetan translations, which describe the life of 'Saint Issa.' The narrative asserts that Issa was born in Bethlehem and raised among the Israelites. It recounts his ministry, crucifixion, and the subsequent legend of his resurrection. Notovitch contrasts the Evangelists' account of a bodily ascension with the Buddhist belief that the soul of the just united with the eternal Being. He argues that Christianity and Buddhism share a common origin, suggesting the 'Great Soul of the Universe' incarnated multiple times to guide humanity. The text includes Notovitch's defense of the manuscripts' authenticity and an invitation for scientific expeditions to verify the discovery in Lhassa. The work concludes by noting that while the church and some contemporaries, such as Mgr. Platon and Cardinal Rotelli, hesitated to publish the memoirs due to fear of offending religious sensibilities, Notovitch proceeded to share his findings, believing the chronicles to be of great importance for understanding the shared spiritual heritage of the East and West.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/ebooks/nicolas-notovitch_unknown-life-of-jesus-christ.epub

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data/epubs/url-02f721cbcc243d57.epub

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Categories

• Religion
• History