How We Know Jesus Stole His Sermon

“Secret of the Incas” with Charleton Heston (Left) was made 30 years before it was plagiarized for “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Stealing from older material has been with us since the first civilizations.

The Sermon on the Mount also known as the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) is the most famous sermon preached by Jesus, the main character of the New Testament.

But historians have always known this sermon amounts to little more than a watered down version of sayings well known from ancient Sanskrit and Hinduism. Much of it sounds exactly like the Dharma a cluster of primitive sayings which pre-dates Jesus by at least 300 years:

“Reverence and lowliness; contentment and gratitude…this is a great blessing.” – Dharma (300 BCE)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit…” – JESUS (Matthew 5)

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“To be long suffering and meek; to associate with the tranquil…this is a great blessing.” – The Dharma (300 BCE)

“Blessed are the meek….”
“Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” – JESUS (Matthew 5)

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“To bestow alms and live righteously; to give help to the kindred… this is a great blessing.” – Dharma (300 BCE)

“Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice…
“Blessed are the peacemakers..”
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” – JESUS (Matthew 5)

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“Self-restraint and purity; the knowledge of the Noble Truths… this is a great blessing.” – Dharma (300 BCE)

“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see Truth.” – JESUS (Matthew 5)

More of the wisdom of the Dharma:

“To support father and mother; to cherish spouse and child; to follow a peaceful calling —this is a great blessing.”

“To dwell in the station befitting your condition; to consider the effect of your deeds; to guide the behavior aright —this is a great blessing.”

“Much insight and education; self control and pleasant speech, and whatever word be well spoken —this is a great blessing.”
– Dharma (500 BCE)

C0incidence? I doubt it.  The more we look at ancient texts and cultures, the more Jesus looks like an invention, a conflation of several ideas woven into one character.