[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Literature, language and dating](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature) › [A History of Indian Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature.winternitz-1927) › v2.c19.s7.7 # A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s7.7 A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s7.7 - **Language:** English ### [v2.c19.s7.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature.winternitz-1927.v2.c19.s7.7) We need only to read the texts, compared by Edmunds,¹ on the miraculous conception and birth of Christ and of Buddha, and the differences become obvious. It is true that there are miracles in both cases; but as the history of religion, mythology and folk-lore teach us, the birth of great men is attended by miracles everywhere. Greek mythology affords far closer parallels to the virgin birth than does the Buddhist legend.² As a matter of fact, Buddha is conceived and born of a married queen, and not of a virgin at all. Again, the texts about the temptation of Buddha by Māra and of Christ by Satan³ show more differences than points of agreement, and the temptation of Zoroaster by Ahriman proves that it cannot be a question of the mere borrowing of texts, but at most a matter of connections in religious history, harking back to far earlier times. Likewise in the legend of the transfiguration of Jesus, as compared with the account in the Mahā-Parinibbāna-Sutta of the radiance of the Buddha's body, I can see only a striking parallel, of great interest from the point of view of the history of religion, but not a loan from Buddhist literature.⁴ - [Previous: v2.c19.s7.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature.winternitz-1927.v2.c19.s7.6) - [Next: v2.c19.s7.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature.winternitz-1927.v2.c19.s7.8) - [Up: v2.c19.s7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature.winternitz-1927.v2.c19.s7) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature.winternitz-1927.v2.c19.s7.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature.winternitz-1927.v2.c19.s7.7) · Pramāṇa