C
Cassiterides
Guest
It sounds crazy, it sounds stupid, and it just cannot be true or possible. Nevertheless, maybe it is possible that the one known as Buddha was indeed an Israelite.
In order to understand how this could be or how this is possible, let us backtrack for a short bit to something many of you are already familiar with, and that is the Assyrian invasion and deportation of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
In 734 BCE, the Assyrian forces invaded the Kingdom of Israel and took part of the tribes into captivity this was the first invasion. The second invasion was around 720 BCE in which the Assyrians deported the rest who stayed who were not deported during the first invasion.[1] Now according to the Bible the Israelites were sent to various locations to the east of their former kingdom. The books of I Chronicles and II Kings give us a description as to where they were resettled. In the book of I Chronicles 5:26 it says:
"And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day."
However, the book of II Kings 18:10-11 gives us additional detail to where the exiles were sent:
"10And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is in the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.
11And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:"[2]
The Israelites were scattered and settled in five different areas throughout the Assyrian Empire and maybe even more. However, our focus will be the areas further to the east where some of the tribes of Israel were sent such as Hara and the possible vassal states to Assyria, which were Magan and Meluhha. These areas just mention were located in Aria/Hara[3] and in the Indus valley or in India itself.[4] Now from these areas emerged a people known as the Saka or Scythians. These various Saka/Scythian tribes were none other then the exiles or the descendents of the exiles from the northern Kingdom of Israel. The name Saka is a form of the name Isaac for the consonants S-C or S-K and we must understand that in Hebrew no vowels were listed.[5] These various Saka/Scythian tribes eventually migrated to the east entering into what is today the nation of India particular the northwestern part of India. However, some seem to have penetrated and settled in what is today the nation of Nepal, and this is where are investigation begins on origins of the one called Buddha.
Buddhism, a religion that has millions of followers worldwide may in fact have Hebrew roots and Hebrew origins. We will not discuss the spiritual beliefs of Buddhism but rather the founder's origins in terms of ethnic and tribal identity.
Buddha, whose real name is Siddhartha Gautama, was born sometime in the late 6th century BCE[6] in Lumbini grove, which is said to be a royal park of the Sakyas,[7] which is located in between the Kapilavastu and Devadaha townships.[8] While others suggest he was born in a village of the Sakyas rather then Lumbini grove.[9] According to tradition, his father was King uddhodana of Kapilavastu and his mother was Queen Maya who was the daughter of Devadaha. Devadaha was the brother of King Suddhodana. The tribe, which Buddha is associated with, was known as the Sakyas. Buddha is said to have come from the Gautama or in the Pail language Gotama's clan, which are a branch of the Sakyas tribe. The clan from which Buddha comes from is noticeable in his name, Siddhartha "Gautama or Gotama".[10] But who were the Sakyas and who was this clan called Gautama? That is what we are about to discover in this next piece.
The Saka tribes that settled in what is today Nepal was known and referred to as "Shakya". However, the Shakya also referred to themselves as "Khathiya"[11] and are said to be a branch of the Gautam family or clan.[12] The name Shakya is another rendering of the name of Saka, which translates to Isaac.[13] The Shakya/Saka also refer to themselves as "Khathiya". The name Khathiya is also rendered as Koushal, or Kushal,[14] and the name Kushal seems to be another form of the name of Cush/Kush. The name Cush can be applied to Ethiopia and Africa. However, the name Cush was also applied to indicate ancient India or rather portions of what are today the nations of Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as northwestern India. However, due to the vast amount of land that is called Cush by the classical writers, the specific area from which the Shakya came from within the land termed as Cush is nearly impossible to determine.[15] In addition, and before we forget, these Shakya in particular are said to be a branch of the Gautam family. The name Gautam is of interest for the name itself seems to point to none other then the Israelite tribe of Gad. When we take a closer look at the name Gautam and break it down, we get the name Gaud for the "t" can sound as a "d:[16] and thus be interchangeable, and sounds and looks similar to the Hebrew name for Gad, which is "Gawd".[17]
In conclusion, when we break down the names, we get a partial picture of the migrational trail in which these Shakya/Sakyas took. First is the name that they are identified with, which is Shakya/Sakya, and as you can see it is another rendering of the name Isaac, thus indicating that they are from the land of Israel. This particular branch also refers to themselves as Khathiya, which as you have just read is another name for Kush/Cush, and suggests that when they were taken into exile by the Assyrians and were placed most likely in Hara and from their migrated eastward to the land called Cush otherwise western portions of India at a later date. Now, Buddha's clan as you already know by now is Gautam/Gautama/Gotama. All of these names point to none other then the tribe of Gad as already stated. When we add the fact that they referred to themselves as Khathiya, which translates to Cush, then Gandhara seems to be the area of choice for Gandhara is next door to the lands called Cush. Gandhara [im Old Persian was named Gadar meaning Hara of Gad] and had been named after the tribe of Gad.[18] This suggests a presence of that tribe at one time before this particular clan made their push into the land of Cush and then finally settling in the land of what is today the nation of Nepal.
[1] Rea, The Assyrian Exile, p. 43-44.
[2] King James Bible
[3] Davidiy, The Tribes, p. 72-73, 77
[4] A. Parpola and S. Parpola, 1975, On the relationship of the Sumerian
Toponym Meluhha and Sanskrit Mleccha, Studia Orientalia 46
[5] Collins, Israel?s Lost Empires, p. 197
[6] Hirakawa, Groner, A history of Indian Buddhism, p. 22
[7] Muthiah, Where the Buddha walked, p. 13
[8] Rahula, A critical study of the Mah vastu, p. 196
[9] Mukerji, Asoka, p.27, 201
[10] Hirakawa, Groner, A history of Indian Buddhism, p. 20-21
[11] Viyogi, Nagas: The Ancient Rulers of India, p. 138
[12] Gour, The Spirit of Buddhism, p. 51
[13] Collins, Israel's Lost Empires, p. 197
[14] Gour, The Spirit of Buddhism, p. 52
[15] Davidiy, The Tribes, p. 131
[16] Collins, Parthia, p. 17
[17] Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, H1410
[18] Davidiy, The Tribes, p. 91
In order to understand how this could be or how this is possible, let us backtrack for a short bit to something many of you are already familiar with, and that is the Assyrian invasion and deportation of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
In 734 BCE, the Assyrian forces invaded the Kingdom of Israel and took part of the tribes into captivity this was the first invasion. The second invasion was around 720 BCE in which the Assyrians deported the rest who stayed who were not deported during the first invasion.[1] Now according to the Bible the Israelites were sent to various locations to the east of their former kingdom. The books of I Chronicles and II Kings give us a description as to where they were resettled. In the book of I Chronicles 5:26 it says:
"And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day."
However, the book of II Kings 18:10-11 gives us additional detail to where the exiles were sent:
"10And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is in the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.
11And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:"[2]
The Israelites were scattered and settled in five different areas throughout the Assyrian Empire and maybe even more. However, our focus will be the areas further to the east where some of the tribes of Israel were sent such as Hara and the possible vassal states to Assyria, which were Magan and Meluhha. These areas just mention were located in Aria/Hara[3] and in the Indus valley or in India itself.[4] Now from these areas emerged a people known as the Saka or Scythians. These various Saka/Scythian tribes were none other then the exiles or the descendents of the exiles from the northern Kingdom of Israel. The name Saka is a form of the name Isaac for the consonants S-C or S-K and we must understand that in Hebrew no vowels were listed.[5] These various Saka/Scythian tribes eventually migrated to the east entering into what is today the nation of India particular the northwestern part of India. However, some seem to have penetrated and settled in what is today the nation of Nepal, and this is where are investigation begins on origins of the one called Buddha.
Buddhism, a religion that has millions of followers worldwide may in fact have Hebrew roots and Hebrew origins. We will not discuss the spiritual beliefs of Buddhism but rather the founder's origins in terms of ethnic and tribal identity.
Buddha, whose real name is Siddhartha Gautama, was born sometime in the late 6th century BCE[6] in Lumbini grove, which is said to be a royal park of the Sakyas,[7] which is located in between the Kapilavastu and Devadaha townships.[8] While others suggest he was born in a village of the Sakyas rather then Lumbini grove.[9] According to tradition, his father was King uddhodana of Kapilavastu and his mother was Queen Maya who was the daughter of Devadaha. Devadaha was the brother of King Suddhodana. The tribe, which Buddha is associated with, was known as the Sakyas. Buddha is said to have come from the Gautama or in the Pail language Gotama's clan, which are a branch of the Sakyas tribe. The clan from which Buddha comes from is noticeable in his name, Siddhartha "Gautama or Gotama".[10] But who were the Sakyas and who was this clan called Gautama? That is what we are about to discover in this next piece.
The Saka tribes that settled in what is today Nepal was known and referred to as "Shakya". However, the Shakya also referred to themselves as "Khathiya"[11] and are said to be a branch of the Gautam family or clan.[12] The name Shakya is another rendering of the name of Saka, which translates to Isaac.[13] The Shakya/Saka also refer to themselves as "Khathiya". The name Khathiya is also rendered as Koushal, or Kushal,[14] and the name Kushal seems to be another form of the name of Cush/Kush. The name Cush can be applied to Ethiopia and Africa. However, the name Cush was also applied to indicate ancient India or rather portions of what are today the nations of Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as northwestern India. However, due to the vast amount of land that is called Cush by the classical writers, the specific area from which the Shakya came from within the land termed as Cush is nearly impossible to determine.[15] In addition, and before we forget, these Shakya in particular are said to be a branch of the Gautam family. The name Gautam is of interest for the name itself seems to point to none other then the Israelite tribe of Gad. When we take a closer look at the name Gautam and break it down, we get the name Gaud for the "t" can sound as a "d:[16] and thus be interchangeable, and sounds and looks similar to the Hebrew name for Gad, which is "Gawd".[17]
In conclusion, when we break down the names, we get a partial picture of the migrational trail in which these Shakya/Sakyas took. First is the name that they are identified with, which is Shakya/Sakya, and as you can see it is another rendering of the name Isaac, thus indicating that they are from the land of Israel. This particular branch also refers to themselves as Khathiya, which as you have just read is another name for Kush/Cush, and suggests that when they were taken into exile by the Assyrians and were placed most likely in Hara and from their migrated eastward to the land called Cush otherwise western portions of India at a later date. Now, Buddha's clan as you already know by now is Gautam/Gautama/Gotama. All of these names point to none other then the tribe of Gad as already stated. When we add the fact that they referred to themselves as Khathiya, which translates to Cush, then Gandhara seems to be the area of choice for Gandhara is next door to the lands called Cush. Gandhara [im Old Persian was named Gadar meaning Hara of Gad] and had been named after the tribe of Gad.[18] This suggests a presence of that tribe at one time before this particular clan made their push into the land of Cush and then finally settling in the land of what is today the nation of Nepal.
[1] Rea, The Assyrian Exile, p. 43-44.
[2] King James Bible
[3] Davidiy, The Tribes, p. 72-73, 77
[4] A. Parpola and S. Parpola, 1975, On the relationship of the Sumerian
Toponym Meluhha and Sanskrit Mleccha, Studia Orientalia 46
[5] Collins, Israel?s Lost Empires, p. 197
[6] Hirakawa, Groner, A history of Indian Buddhism, p. 22
[7] Muthiah, Where the Buddha walked, p. 13
[8] Rahula, A critical study of the Mah vastu, p. 196
[9] Mukerji, Asoka, p.27, 201
[10] Hirakawa, Groner, A history of Indian Buddhism, p. 20-21
[11] Viyogi, Nagas: The Ancient Rulers of India, p. 138
[12] Gour, The Spirit of Buddhism, p. 51
[13] Collins, Israel's Lost Empires, p. 197
[14] Gour, The Spirit of Buddhism, p. 52
[15] Davidiy, The Tribes, p. 131
[16] Collins, Parthia, p. 17
[17] Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, H1410
[18] Davidiy, The Tribes, p. 91
