Jesus' 18 Years in Tibet and India

Jesus mastered the ancient wisdom of the Buddhas in the East

This is the first in a series of articles written to expand awareness of the master Jesus. If you love him or are even just curious about him, you may find there is even more to appreciate about Jesus’ mission than we have been led to believe.

The Bible provides no details about Jesus’ life between the ages of 12–30 years old. These have been referred to as “the lost years.” The reason nothing is recorded about Jesus’ activities during these years, even by Mary his mother, is that Jesus did not remain in Palestine during this period. During his early teen years, guided by his own inner teacher, he set out to find and study the wisdom teachings of the East. He traveled to and lived in India and Tibet and did not return to Palestine until it was time to start his mission.

Fortunately for us, information about where Jesus was and what he was doing during those lost years was recorded by the cultures he visited because he made an impact wherever he traveled. As the East became more accessible to Europeans in the 1800s, legends about Jesus’ travels to India began to filter through to the West. It was inevitable that curious adventurers would go there to investigate.

This article is a brief overview of some of the existing evidence about Jesus’ travels and experiences. The point that anchors all that follows is the simple fact that it is widely accepted in the East that Jesus, known there as “Issa,” lived and taught for years among a variety of spiritual communities.

You may find the stories about Jesus’ travels eye-opening, liberating, surprising, or even shocking depending upon your beliefs and perspective. Previously, we have been given a well-defined image of Jesus. Even as glorious as that image may be, with new information, we have the opportunity to increase our understanding of the Son of God who was sent to teach us important things about the living Christ. Having a more complete vision of Jesus’ life can help us to follow in his footsteps.

The following material is taken from the webpage titled, “The Mission of Jesus the Christ” on my website at: https://www.cosmic-law-insight.org.

Elizabeth Clare Prophet wrote the book, The Lost Years of Jesus, which provides an in-depth analysis of the travels, research, and the writing and opinions of others on the subject. The following information, quotes, and eyewitness accounts are taken from her book. Footnote 1

Nicholas Notovitch

In 1894, a Russian journalist Nicholas Notovitch published a book titled The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ that tells the story of Notovitch’s travels in Tibet in 1887. He visits the Buddhist monastery in Himis and the head lama volunteers information that Jesus traveled to India and the Himalayas and spent years studying sacred scriptures of the East. Notovitch convinces the lama to show him the ancient texts and read the relevant content to him as he takes notes. The following is Notovitch’s version of Jesus’ travels according to the manuscript as published in Prophet’s book.

“The biography of Issa, according to Notovitch, was composed of isolated verses which were untitled and scattered out of sequence throughout the text. The Russian author grouped the verses and put them in order and then published the document several years later along with his account of its discovery.

“Some of it will sound familiar to anyone acquainted with the Old and New Testaments: the Egyptian captivity, the deliverance of the Israelites by Mossa (Moses), and backsliding of the Israelites followed by foreign invasions, subjugation by Rome, and finally the incarnation of a divine child to poor but pious parents. God speaks by the mouth of the infant and people come from all over to hear him.

“The narrative quickly jumps to Issa’s thirteenth year, the first of the “lost years,” and the time according to the story, “when an Israelite should take a wife.” His parents’ house, humble though it was, became a meeting place of the rich and noble who desired to have as a son-in-law the young Issa, “already famous for his edifying discourses in the name of the Almighty.”

“Issa had set his sights on other goals. According to the manuscript Notovitch published, he secretly left his father’s house, departed Jerusalem and, with a caravan of merchants, traveled east in order to perfect himself in the “Divine Word” and to study the laws of the great Buddhas.

“They say Issa was fourteen when he crossed the Sind, a region in present-day Pakistan in the lower Indus River valley, and established himself among the “Aryas” -no doubt a reference to the Aryans who migrated into the Indus valley beginning in the second millennium B.C. His fame spread and he was asked by the Jains to stay with them. Instead, he went to Juggernaut where he was joyously received by the Brahmin priests who taught him to read and understand the Vedas and to teach, heal, and perform exorcisms.

“Issa spent six years studying and teaching at Juggernaut, Rajagriha, Benares and other holy cities. He became embroiled in a conflict with the Brahmins and the Kshatriyas (the priestly and warrior castes) by teaching the holy scriptures to the lower castes — the Vaisyas (farmers and merchants) and the Sudras (the peasants and laborers). The Brahmins said that the Vaisyas were authorized to hear the Vedas read only during festivals and Sudras not at all. They were not even allowed to look at them. Rather than abide by their injunction, Issa preached against the Brahmins and Kshatriyas to the Vaisyas and Sudras. Aware of his denunciations, the priest and warriors plotted to put Issa to death.

“Warned by the Sudras, Issa left Juggernaut by night and went to the foothills of the Himalayas in southern Nepal, birthplace five centuries earlier of the great Buddha Sakyamuni (a title of Gautama), born prince of the Sakya clan, literally the sage (muni) of the Sakya tribe.

“After six years of study, Issa “had become a perfect expositor of the sacred writings.” He then left the Himalayas and journeyed west, preaching against idolatry along the way, finally returning to Palestine at the age of twenty-nine” (pp. 16–18).

Nicholas Notovitch, author of The Secret Life of Jesus Christ

Notovitch’s book, though controversial, was a stunning success and became more and more popular as it was translated into other languages from the original French. As one would expect, the book came under criticism and attack because it presented new ideas about the life of Jesus that upset orthodox traditions. Notovitch vigorously defended himself and the veracity of his story.

He made a remarkable claim in his defense stating that after his return from Tibet, he met with a Roman Catholic cardinal who acknowledged that the Vatican has “63 complete or incomplete manuscripts in various Oriental languages” referring to Jesus in India.

The Lost Years of Jesus also details the ensuing battle between Notovitch and his detractors.

Swami Abhedananda

Born in Calcutta, India in 1866, Swami Abhedananda became a scholar in Eastern and Western literature at Calcutta Oriental Seminary where his father was a professor. He later became a disciple of the Indian saint Ramakrishna. As the result of his studies and spiritual life, he became a proponent of the Vedas and traveled extensively in the United States, Canada, and Mexico promoting Vedanta, a Hindu philosophy based on the Vedas.  The Swami became aware of Notovitch’s book about Saint Issa and at first was skeptical of the story. However, in 1922, he decided to travel to Himis and find out for himself. Traveling on foot, he visited the same monastery that Notovitch wrote about and receives complete confirmation of Notovitch’s story from a senior lama there. Abhedenanda worked with the lama to again translate the ancient manuscript text relating to Jesus, this time into English. Abhedananda recounts his experience in his own book, In Kashmir and Tibet.

Swami Abhedananda, author of In Kashmir and Tibet

Nicholas Roerich

NIcholas Roerich, Russian artist, writer, and mystic

The following statement about Nicholas Roerich is quoted from the Ascended Master Encyclopedia posted with free access by The Summit Lighthouse. The entry there also includes many other details about this acclaimed author and artist and his wife, Helena.

“Nicholas Roerich was a world-renowned artist, archaeologist, author, scholar, lecturer, costume and set designer, poet, mystic and explorer. He and his wife, Helena Roerich, served during the early twentieth century as amanuenses for the ascended masters El Morya and Maitreya. Nicholas ascended at the conclusion of that lifetime.” Footnote 2

The Roerichs found verification of Jesus travels to the East in the legends and stories held in the hearts of the people across Central Asia. They explored many lands by caravan during the years 1924–28 including Kashmir, Ladakh, the Altai Mountains, Mongolia, Central Gobi, and Tibet. As expressed in the The Lost Years of Jesus, Nicholas “recorded the living history of Issa’s sojourn in the East embodied in traditions cherished by peoples of various nations and religions across the vast expanse of Asia and discovered one or more manuscripts on the subject.” Footnote 3

In his book, Altai-Himalaya, that records his travels in Asia, Mr. Roerich shares the comments of a Hindu he encountered that conveyed a profound sense of relationship with Jesus.

“A good and sensitive Hindu spoke meaningfully about the manuscript of the life of Issa. ‘Why does one always place Issa in Egypt during the time of this absence from Palestine? His young years of course were passed in study. The traces of his learning have naturally impressed themselves upon his later sermons. To what sources do these sermons lead? What is there in them of Eqyptian. And why does one not see traces of Buddhism of India? It is difficult to understand why the wandering of Issa by caravan path into India and into the region now occupied by Tibet, should be so vehemently denied.” Footnote 4

Another example of how deeply embedded reverence for Jesus is in India comes from the author Penelope Chetwode author of Kulu: The End of the Habitable World (1972). She maintains that Roerich’s revelations about Jesus being in India are nothing new by recounting the way the 16th century Mughal emperor Akbar gave tribute to Jesus through a stone inscription added to a famed monument he built in northern India.

Known as Akbar the Great, king of the Moguls, in India in the 1600s, Akbar was a remarkable Moslem who was tolerant of all religions in his kingdom. He honored Issa by recording one of the unique teachings Issa gave during his stay in India and thereby acknowledged Issa’s connection with that culture.

The author Chetwode writes:

“In Tibet he [Roerich] claimed to have discovered an ancient Buddhist chronicle which stated that Christ had spent the ‘hidden years” partly there and partly in India. This, in fact, was nothing new as there has always been a strong tradition that these were spent in Kashmir where a collection of Our Lord’s sayings from this mysterious period of his life is still preserved: one of them was quoted by Akbar on his Victory Gate at Fatehpur Sikri: ‘Said Jesus, on whom be peace! The world is a bridge, pass over it but build no house there. He who hopeth for an hour, may hope for eternity; the world is but an hour, spend it in devotion; the rest is worth nothing.” Footnote 5

What do the ascended masters say about Jesus in India?

The ascended masters teachings validate Jesus’ travels to India and provide additional details of his mission there. Some comments on the subject are given by the ascended master El Morya. His words are especially meaningful because El Morya was incarnated as Akbar, the king described above. What we have then, is Akbar, having honored the master Jesus during the king’s lifetime in India, now as the ascended master El Morya, witnessing to Jesus’ travels in India. It is worth noting that El Morya had several other incarnations following his life as Akbar before taking the ascension in 1898. He is a strong supporter of Jesus’ mission.

The following message from El Morya ties into the experience of Nicolas Notovitch having met with a Roman Catholic cardinal who admitted the church possessed 63 manuscripts that documented Jesus’ travels to India. El Morya delivered this message to the spiritual community of Church Universal and Triumphant, which is the sister organization of The Summit Lighthouse. Both promote the teachings of the ascended masters released through the messengers Mark L. Prophet and Elizabeth Clare Prophet.

Excerpt from El Morya’s Message (1984)

“Therefore, beloved ones, for the defense of America defend this Church. For the Roman Church is not protected; having defiled itself, having failed to perpetuate the true teachings of Jesus Christ and to publish the record of his eighteen years in the East that the youth of the world might follow his example, having failed to outline a viable path of sainthood along the lines of the Eastern bodhisattva ideal or the application in daily life of the sacred mysteries taught by Messengers as these were given to them by Jesus, the present leadership has lost its dispensation.

“The path of the Holy Grail taught here and espoused by all of us who attained the ascension in the Light could have long ago been taught to the people through the Catholic Church. It has not been done; it has been denied to the dear followers of God and for that reason alone we have had to found another endeavor and anoint another mouthpiece to deliver that Word.

“For nothing — nor false doctrine nor dogma, nor pope nor priest nor church councils that withhold the truth of Christ’s universal message — shall stand between a people and their God. Nothing shall come between them and their right to know the Truth that shall make them free, the Truth about their immortal birthright vouchsafed to them by their Mighty I AM Presence! And therefore we have truly moved heaven and earth to bring your lifestreams together to establish this Church. And we are continuing to move heavenly forces and legions of Light for its protection. They await your command to Light and your dynamic decrees offered in God’s name.” Footnote 6

For more information about the Mighty I AM Presence and dynamic decrees that utilize the Science of the Spoken Word, see my article on Medium titled, “Who Are the Ascended Masters and What Do They Teach?” My website at https://www.cosmic-law-insight.org includes a webpage titled, “Science of the Spoken Word.”

It would be a big mistake to become aware of Jesus’ travels to the East and simply conclude, “Oh, that is interesting!” It is very interesting, but I believe this truth has the capacity to initiate a major shift in Christianity. It remains to be seen what change, if any, comes about as a result of such a meaningful revelation about Jesus’ life, but the potential is there.

One point that stands out for me regarding Jesus’ pursuit of Eastern wisdom, is that his determination to learn from the Buddhas should establish a greater respect and appreciation among Christians for the Eastern religions. After all, Jesus built the foundation of his mission and message in part upon what he learned from Eastern teachers.

Since many Christian churches are losing members at a measurable rate, it may be time for the real Jesus to be made known and embraced. The ascended masters teach that modern Christianity does not convey the full truth that Jesus delivered. For example, they explain that the concept of Jesus being the only Son of God and that the rest of us are sinners is a lie.

Jesus was not born a perfect being. Mastering the ancient wisdom of the East was important preparation for his mission. The Buddhist texts housed in Himis document that Jesus learned in India how to heal and how to raise a person from the dead. When Jesus told his disciples to follow in his footsteps, he was telling all of us that we are made of the same fabric as he and that we also have the capacity to become the living Christ. Let us celebrate and put to use a fuller understanding of who Jesus was and is.

Two additional articles in “The Wonders of Jesus Christ” series will be published in 2025.

Quoted and adapted teachings used by kind permission of The Summit Lighthouse, www.SummitLighthouse.org. All rights reserved.

Endnotes

1 Elizabeth Clare Prophet, The Lost Years of Jesus, Summit University Press,1984, pp. 16–18. 2 “Nicholas Roerich,” last edited July 11, 2020, accessed February 2, 2022, https://ascendedmasterencyclopedia.org. 3 Elizabeth Clare Prophet, The Lost Years of Jesus, p. 46. 4 Nicholas Roerich, Altai-Himalaya: A Travel Diary (1929) quoted from The Lost Years of Jesus, p. 261. 5 Elizabeth Clare Prophet, The Lost Years of Jesus, p. 56.

6 El Morya, “ A Document from The Darjeeling Council”, Pearls of Wisdom, vol. 27, no. 31A, June 8, 1984.