From Buddha to Christ

Many people who are drawn to Buddhism today are seeking spiritual knowledge rather than simple faith or sectarian belief. Hermann Beckh had a profound personal connection to the Buddhist path and the noble truths it contains, and he was dedicated to a radical renewal of Christianity. He saw the earlier great world religions as waymarks for humanity's evolving consciousness and believed that the apprehension of Christianity needed to be grounded firmly in a universally-valid, inner cognition and experience. Beckh's universal insights remain relevant to twenty-first-century readers, and this edition features an additional essay, `Steiner and Buddha: Neo-Buddhist Spiritual Streams and Anthroposophy (1931),' in which he explains his lifelong personal connection to the Buddhist path.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 120 pages
Publication date: 25 March 2019
Publisher: Temple Lodge Publishing

Many individuals who are attracted to Buddhism today are seeking spiritual knowledge rather than mere faith or sectarian belief. Hermann Beckh, a profound personal practitioner of the Buddhist path, had a deep connection to the noble truths it encompasses, while also being dedicated to a radical renewal of Christianity. Beckh's understanding of Buddhism went beyond mere historical documents and scholarly research in philology. Instead, it stemmed from his inner meditation and spiritual insights, viewing the ancient world religions as milestones in humanity's evolving consciousness. In the contemporary world, the understanding of Christianity required a solid foundation in universally valid inner cognition and experience: "In this light, knowledge becomes life."

Hermann Beckh, a Professor of Tibetan Studies and Sanskrit in Berlin and later a founding priest of The Christian Community, first published this comprehensive study in 1925. Having already authored the comprehensive Buddha's Life and Teaching in 1916, Beckh's sweeping perspectives, combined with his extensive academic knowledge, provided a unique foundation for writing this work. As he notes, From Buddha to Christ follows a path of development, "both of method and goal." Thus, studying this book itself is a path of knowledge and potential initiation. Beckh's universal insights remain relevant and, if anything, have gained in value to twenty-first-century readers.

This edition features an additional essay, "Steiner and Buddha: Neo-Buddhist Spiritual Streams and Anthroposophy (1931)," in which Beckh, for the first and last time, explains his lifelong personal connection to the Buddhist path. "Christianizing the Buddha's impulse at the same time broadens the Christian horizon...," he writes. "The Christian world is called upon to recognize the spiritual value of the great religions of the past and to incorporate them into its own life."

In conclusion, Hermann Beckh's From Buddha to Christ offers a profound exploration of the interconnectedness between Buddhism and Christianity. Through his profound personal experience and academic expertise, Beckh provides a unique perspective on the evolution of consciousness and the significance of spiritual knowledge in our modern world. His insights remain relevant and valuable to readers seeking a deeper understanding of these ancient traditions and their potential for contemporary spiritual growth.

Weight: 206g
Dimension: 156 x 233 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781912230259