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Secondary sourceBook1900

The Dhamma of Gotama the Buddha and the Gospel of Jesus the Christ

Charles Francis Aiken · 1900

A 1900 scholarly book comparing Buddhism with early Christianity, discussing the Buddha's teachings.

This 1900 scholarly book studies and compares the Buddha's teachings, reflecting later Western interpretations of his life.

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The Dhamma of Gotama the Buddha and the Gospel of Jesus the Christ
Charles Francis Aiken, The Dhamma of Gotama the Buddha and the Gospel of Jesus the Christ, 1900. Scanned book, Internet Archive.

About this source

What it is

This is a book written in 1900 by Charles Francis Aiken, comparing the teachings of the Buddha (called Gotama) with the early Christian gospel. It begins by examining the Indian religious background, including Vedic and Brahman traditions, before turning to Buddhism itself.

Why it matters

Written by a Christian scholar, the book shows how Western writers in the early 20th century studied and compared the Buddha's teachings to their own religious tradition. It reveals both genuine scholarly interest in Buddhism and the biases of the era, since the author argued for the originality of Christianity over Buddhism.

Look closer

  • Why might a scholar compare two different religious founders like the Buddha and Jesus?
  • What might the author's background tell us about possible bias in the book?
  • What questions would you want to ask before trusting a comparison like this?

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