Buddha Talked about the end time and the need for a Holy one to save the world.
Steve Cioccolanti, in his book FROM BUDDHA TO JESUS: An Insider’s View of Buddhism & Christianity (Comparative World Religions), said that in the Cambodian or Khmer Canon, there was this conversation between an old Brahman priest and Buddha.
Sitting in the twilight of his days, the Buddha was often approached by seekers and scholars who wished to understand the mysteries of life and the path to enlightenment. One day, an old Brahman priest, burdened with the weight of his sins and the uncertainty of his soul’s fate, came before the wise teacher with a question that had long troubled his heart.
“Great Buddha,” the priest began, “I have followed the commandments, given alms, and offered prayers. But still, my soul is not at peace. How can one truly escape the grip of sin and be saved?”
Buddha, with a gentle yet knowing smile, looked at the Brahman. His eyes, reflecting years of contemplation and insight, seemed to pierce through the very essence of the question. “Even if you were to give all you have to the poor, if you were to follow every commandment ever written, and if you prayed with the most devout heart every day of your life, it would still not be enough. The weight of your deeds, no matter how noble, is as light as a single hair on the head of an unborn child. They cannot lift you to the heavens.”
The Brahman, now more troubled than before, asked, “Then what must we do? How can we ever hope to escape our sins and find peace?”
Buddha’s response was unexpected. He began to tell a story, one passed down through the ages—the story of the Angel and the Stone. He spoke of his journey, of how he had renounced the world, embraced a life of discipline, and adhered to countless commandments yet still found himself bound by sin. Despite his lifelong efforts, he revealed that he could not free himself from even one sin.
Desperate for answers, the Brahman pleaded, “Is there no hope? How can we be saved?”
With a solemn tone, Buddha spoke of a future hope. “There is a Holy One who will come, a savior who will rescue the world. He will bear scars on His hands and feet, and there will be a wound on His side. His forehead will carry the marks of suffering. He will be like a golden vessel, vast enough to carry all who seek refuge from the cycle of suffering. This Holy One will give you a new spirit, a spirit that will dwell within your heart, shining like a lightning bug descending from Heaven. With this spirit, you will gain victory over all your enemies, and when you die, you will not return to this world again.”
The Brahman, his heart stirred by this revelation, asked, “What should I do until He comes?”
Buddha advised him to continue doing good deeds and wait and watch for the arrival of this Holy One. “Do not cling to the old ways,” he warned. “Turn from them and prepare yourself for the new spirit that will come.”
Centuries later, a Holy One would walk the earth in a different land and time. Jesus Christ, born of humble beginnings, would fulfill Buddha’s description. As He died on the cross for the sins of humanity, He bore the scars on His hands and feet, the wound on His side, and the marks on His forehead from the crown of thorns. He carried the world’s sins upon Himself, offering salvation to all who would believe in Him.
To His followers, Jesus promised a new spirit—the Holy Spirit—that would dwell within them, guiding them, comforting them, and giving them victory over sin. And just as Buddha had foretold, those who believe in this Holy One would not return to the cycle of suffering but would find eternal life in Heaven.
Could it be that Buddha, in his wisdom, foresaw the coming of Jesus Christ? That the Holy One he spoke of was none other than the Savior of the world? Even in the distant teachings of Buddha, there was a glimpse of the truth that would later be fully revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. Don’t you think so?