The Islamic preacher Mirza Gulam Ahmad in 1899 claimed that Isa (Jesus Christ) was healed after crucifixion, went to India, where, after a long life, he died a natural death in the city of Srinar (Kashmir) at the age of 120 years. His grave has been preserved and is now known as Rosabal [1] . However, 5 years before, the book of St. Petersburg journalist Nikolai Notovich (1894) was printed in Paris, where on the basis of the documents found, another version was set out. Jesus Christ with a teenager came to India, lived here for about 13 years, after which he returned to Palestine, where he was crucified and accepted by God.

Who is Nikolai Notovich ?

There is little information about this mysterious person [2] . In places they are contradictory and generally draw it as a prone to adventurism. It is believed that he was born in the Crimean city of Kerch on August 13 (25), 1858 in the Rabbi family. Sometimes they report (for example, on Wikipedia) that Notovich was a nobleman, a Cossack officer, and his parents were Belarusian Jews. In 1877-1878 he fought with the Turks in the Balkans. He accepted Orthodoxy and studied history at St. Petersburg University. Participation in the Russo-Turkish war and belonging to Orthodoxy were later mentioned in the books of Notovich himself.

It is believed that he had an older brother Osip (1849–1914). However, for some reason, no one noticed that the patronymic of Nikolai was Alexandrovich , and Osipa was Konstantinovich . Most likely, this inattention is due to the fact that in Europe the middle name is not used, and Russian authors used foreign sources. Information about Osip Notovich can be found in the “Encyclopedic Dictionary” by F. A. Brockhaus and I. A. Efron (1897), as well as in the “Jewish Encyclopedia” (1911) published by them; There is not a word about Nikolai.

Both encyclopedias reported that Osip was born in Kerch in the Rabbi family and graduated from the Law Faculty of St. Petersburg University. Thus, if Nikolai and Osip were brothers, then obviously from different fathers.

Already in the 1880s, the works of Nikolai Notovich, who wrote in Russian and French, began to appear. At first there were poems (pathos and very weak) and dramas. So, in 1880, a collection of his poems “Patriotism” dedicated to “Deep respect” by the St. George Cavaliers was released in St. Petersburg. In 1881, the poem “Sorrow and Crying of Russia” was published (in connection with the death of Alexander II as a result of a terrorist act). In 1882, N. A. Notovich compiled the “Biography of the Glorious Russian Hero” General M. D. Skobelev.

He later moved to journalism with an international bias. In his works, he expressed monarchical and patriotic views, in every possible way supported rapprochement with France and sharply criticized Britain and Germany as the enemies of Russia.

In 1883, N. A. Notovich became an employee of the New Time, the publisher and actual editor of which was the decade earlier than Osip Notovich (under him in 1873–1874 the newspaper had a liberal slope). In 1876, Osip acquired a small newspaper News, which he managed to turn into a large political publication. He was also a prolific writer, but preferred a philosophical and aesthetic theme and composed dramas. After the reaction, he went abroad.

In the same 1883, Nikolai Notovich first went to the Balkans, and then through the Caucasus to Persia. During a long trip to Asia, he also visited Afghanistan, but the main goal was British India, the borders of which Notovich crossed in 1887 twice. So, he was in the town of Simla (now the capital of Himal-Pradesh), from where he went to the very west of the country, to the city of Kvetta (now Pakistan, near the border with Afghanistan), and then reached the mountainous regions of Afghanistan.

Returning through Bolan and Gernai to British India, Notovich traveled to Punjab, and then went to Kashmir. In a highland fret, he discovered an unknown manuscript about Christ. It is believed that in India Notovich wandered as a journalist, but there is evidence that he was sent to Tibet as a “Russian delegate” for an unclear goal. The British intelligence officer and traveler Francis Younghazbend considered him a Russian spy [3] .

Returning to Europe, Notovich publishes a series of brochures and books on geopolitics, supporting the military and economic advancement of Russia to the east. They feel real knowledge of the territories. For example, “Kvetta and the military railway through the passes of Bolan and Gernai” (Tiflis, 1888) or “Where is the road to India?” (Moscow, 1889). In the last book, he argued that there are two main forces in the world: Europe and Russia (p. 84). Then his voluminous essay “Pravda of Jews” (Moscow, 1889) criticized Judaism came out. In Moscow, another book by Notovich was printed, “Europe on the eve of the war” (1890), directed against the UK and Germany. In it, the author mentioned that “was in India last year” (p. 143) and that they were waiting there when at least one Russian bayonet will appear to rebel against the British.

In Paris, Notovich, as a journalist, was published in a number of publications, including wrote about corruption in the upper layers associated with the Panamani Shot and affected the Russian embassy. The chief prosecutor of the Synod and a member of the Committee of Ministers K. P. Pobedonostsev (1827–1907), who had a great influence on Alexander III, became known about his participation in scandalous revelations. In 1894, Notovich’s book “The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ” was published in Paris, which was partially transferred to Russian in 1895 and caused indignation in Russian Orthodox circles (see below).

After returning to St. Petersburg (1895), N. A. Notovich was arrested and imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress, and then exiled without trial at the stage in Siberia. It is believed that it was revenge from the former Russian ambassador to Paris or Kara for edition of the Anti -Christian book. From the exile, the journalist returned, apparently, in 1897 and immediately left for Paris.

In the same year, Notovich went to Egypt and visited Ethiopia, where he met with representatives of Russia. In letters to the French Foreign Ministry, he not only outlined the situation in Africa, but also proved the need for the Union of two countries against England. In 1898, his book “Europe and Egypt” was published in Paris. The French Foreign Ministry attracted Notovich to some events under the guise of a Parisian banker.

In 1895-1899, his books on Alexander III and the politics of Nicholas II were published in Paris. Trying to promote Russian interests, N. A. Notovich since June 1898 began to publish the newspaper La Russie (economics and politics). On June 2, 1899, he was elected to the Society of Diplomatic History (Paris), which opened access to him to the respectable circle of diplomats and historians.

In December 1904, Notovich caused an international scandal. At the beginning of the Russo-Japanese war, Russian ships were fired in the North Sea, allegedly with the participation of Japanese torpedo boats. The publication about this caused tension between England and Germany and was discussed in France. As a result, the British found out that the information came from the Russian agent in Paris, through Petersburg got back to Paris, from there to Copenhagen and, with the help of the Reuters agency, became known to the whole world. Notovich was accused of essay rumors.

After the 1905 revolution, the manifesto on the religious tolerance and resignation of K.P. Pobedonostsev (November 1) Nikolai Notovich returned to Russia (from London).

In 1906, his new book appeared in Paris, which soon published in Russian in St. Petersburg (Russia and England, 1907 and 1909). This time, the author’s many years of hostility towards England replaced the call to the rapprochement of Russia and France. The book was composed on time and obviously no accident. On August 31, 1907, an agreement with England was signed in the capital of the Russian Empire, which laid the formal end of the long confrontation of the two empires in Asia (the so -called “Big Game”). This contributed to the creation of the Bloc of Great Britain, France and Russia called "Triple Consent" (Entente).

In 1912, Notovich published a brochure "Our Trade Fleet, its economic and political significance." The author is indicated as the founder of the shipping and insurance company "Polar Star". He also drew up the "Project of the Organization of the Ministry of Trade and Industry." In the 1910s, Notovich was actively engaged in the newspaper and magazine business, but after 1916, information about him disappeared. When and where he died, is unknown.

"Tibetan Gospel"

The book of Nikolai Notovich “Unknown Life of Jesus Christ”, published in Paris (1894) [4] caused an extraordinary excitement. The interest in the book turned out to be so huge that 10-11 publications in French (I read the 8th), three in German and one in English, Italian and Danish, were published in a short period of time.

In the book itself, two layers of text are stylistically: a description of the journey through British India in Tibet [5] with observations and reasoning on ethnographic and religious topics and the publication of a mysterious manuscript from the Hemis Monastery (“Himis”). Unfortunately, the photographs taken by Notovich were lit by his servant, so I had to use other people's illustrations.

The book is equipped with two cards of India. The first shows the author of the author from Bombay (now Mumbai) through Ahmadabad, the east of the current states of Gujarat and Rajastkhan in Delhi, from there to Amrietsar (Golden Temple) and Lahor (now Pakistan). On October 14, 1887, N. A. Notovich arrived in Ravalpindy (Pakistan) by train. Further, accompanied by a black servant through the resort of Marry (Murree), along the Jeelum River river, crossed the Himalayan Pir-Panel ridge and hit the Kashmir Valley.

After spending 6 days in Srinagar, the traveler on October 27 with a group of 11 porters went to the Sind River, where Panther attacked them in the forest gorge at night. Behind the Pershot Pass, he entered the Earth of Ladak, from where he intended through Karakorum and Kashgaria to get to Russia. Having passed the villages of Draz, Kargil and Shergol, the Caravan of Notovich arrived in a multibir, where a huge figure of the Buddha Maithreya was carved on the rock.

Here, in the Buddhist monastery, Lama, treating Notovich Chang (local beer, is now forbidden to sell), said that they revere the Issue (Jesus) as one of the Buddhas. Lhas has many “scrolls” with the Scriptures about him, and in large monasteries you can find their copies, which, however, do not show foreigners. Struck by this story, Notovich decided to collect more complete information about the Prophet Isse and find the manuscripts about him.

Passing two more passes, the traveler spent the night in the ancient monastery Lamayur, where he found out that near the city of Lech there is a large monastery with thousands of books. After the night in the monastery of Saspul, he arrived in Lech at the very beginning of November. The entire route through Kashmir and Ladak to the Hemis monastery is shown on another map in the book. In the traveler’s scretch, the custom of a lot of things that he described in sufficient detail, as well as the Buddhist holiday in Hemis, were struck by the traveler.

The abbot of the monastery said that the name of Issa is greatly respected among the lamas that read about him, although ordinary people are unknown. The ancient manuscripts about his life written in the language Pali were brought from India to Nepal, from there to Tibet and are in Lhasa. In Hemis there are copies in the Tibetan language, but they must be looked for, and in the case of a new arrival they can be shown. The next day, Notovich left the monastery, and two days later he sent a gift to the abbot in the form of an alarm clock, wristwatch and thermometer, knowing that he would like to see a book about Isse to his next visit.

In order not to arouse suspicions of his excessive perseverance, Notovich decided to go to Kashmir. However, near the Gonpa Pintak (the Spituk monastery 8 km southwest of Lech), he fell from the horse and broke his right leg. Notovich decided to use this as a convenient occasion for a second visit to Hemis (45 km southeast of Lech), where he was brought on a horse late in the evening and where he was sheltered in the best chambers. Giveled the patient's requests, the abbot brought two large books in cardboard binding with leaf -eating from time to time.

Lama read on Tibetan, and Notovich after the translator meticulously recorded the text in a notebook. In what language was the translation (French?) And the recording (Russian or French?), He did not indicate. The readable information did not go in one block, but were dispersed in both manuscripts. Therefore, Later, Notovich streamlined them in accordance with the sequence of the narrative.

The text published by him under the heading of “The Life of the Holy Issa, the best of the sons of human” consists of 14 chapters with a breakdown into verses, as in the New Testament, and covers the period from Moss (Moses) to the crucifixion and Ascension of Issus (Jesus). In general, the content coincides with the biblical gospels. However, in the text of Notovich, who received the name “Tibetan Gospel” in the literature, it was Pilate who was guilty of the execution of Issa, while the Jewish high priests and elders begged him to change his decision.

The main sensation was the description in chapters IV - VIII of the so -called “lost years” of the life of Jesus (between 13 and 30 years), about which nothing is reported in the New Testament. It turns out that at the age of 13, when the deadline for marriage came up, Issa secretly left the house and, together with the merchants, went to Indo to improve in the divine word and study the laws of the great Buddhas (IV: 12–13).

At the age of 14, he settled among the Aryans. When crossing the country of five rivers (= Penjab) and the Rajuts (= Rajasthan), supporters of Jainism asked him to stay among them. However, Issa went to Jagannath (Oryssa), where the white priests of Brahma cordially accepted him and taught him to understand the ancient texts (Vedas), as well as heal people and expel evil spirits from them. Issa spent 6 years among the Indians, having also visited Rajagrich, Benarez (= Varani) in the ganges and other sacred cities (V: 5).

However, he opposed the caste system, preaching among the lower castes that all people are equal to the doors to God to the Father, and calling for helping the poor and weak, and also denied some dogmas of Hinduism (V: 10-14, 26–27). Then the priests and warriors decided to kill him, but Issa, warned by the Shuders, went into the mountains and settled among the Buddhists. Here he spent his next 6 years, having mastered his tongue and studied the ideas of the Buddha. Then, having left Nepal and the Himalayas, Issa went to the west through Rajoputan (VI: 1–5), preaching among the Gentiles.

In Persia, he was questioned by the Supreme Priest-Zoroastrian. They decided not to execute the preacher, but to leave at night on the road among wild animals (VIII: 2 and 23). Nevertheless, protected by God, Issa safely reached the land of his ancestors; He was 29 years old (IX: 1).

Intending to publish such an unusual text, N. A. Notovich did not doubt the authenticity of the monastery records. He turned to the Kyiv Metropolitan Plato, who recognized the great importance of the discovery made, but advised to print the book, as this could have detrimental consequences for Notovich. Two cardinals (in Rome and Paris) also opposed the publication of the text.

Reaction

Anticipating possible objections, Notovich suggested in the book to any scientific society to equip an expedition to incense to study manuscripts and establish their historical value. However, no one responded to his call, but harsh criticism was not long in coming. In the heat of attacks, even the very existence of the Hemis monastery was denied.

The main exposure of Notovich was the famous orientalist, professor at the University of Oxford Max Muller (1823–1900) and a professor from Madras J. Archibald Douglas (1866–?), Who visited Hemis in June 1895. There he met Lama, who headed the monastery for the past 15 years [6] . I bring the main accusations that are still cited so far, and their refutations.

1. Notovich was not in Ladak and Hemis. This is refuted by the memoirs of F. Yanghazbend, who met him on the Pershevi Pass, as well as a letter and diary recording of Dr. Karl Marx from the Moravian mission in Leha, who treated Notovich from toothache. Lama admitted that several Europeans visited Hemis in 1887-1888. Lama cannot distinguish Russian from a European or American. However, there was no gentleman with a broken leg, and no one can spend the night in the monastery more than 1-3 nights (Douglas). I will add that the description of Notovich’s path along Kashmir and Ladaka contains reliable details. I and my colleagues drove through these places twice (2013 and 2015) and I can confirm Notovich's accuracy.
2. The story of the panther attack and the murder of the porter in the Sinda Valley was invented, since there is no such predator (Douglas). Однако в книге известного знатока Кашмира Уолтера Лоуренса (1895) в разделе «фауна» указано [7] , что леопард (или пантера, Felis pardus ) обитает в Кашмире и зарегистрированы два случая людоедства, один на реке Синд!
3. По словам настоятеля, книги (рукописи) об Иссе в Хемисе нет. Он никогда не слышал о таких книгах от лам из других монастырей (Дуглас).
4. Главный лама отрицал получение подарков от Н. А. Нотовича (Дуглас).
5. Сомнительно, чтобы у Н. А. Нотовича мог быть переводчик с тибетского, способный понимать сложные философские, религиозные вопросы. Те же несколько образованных тибетцев, что жили в Лехе, с ним не встречались (Дуглас).
6. Во время зачитывания Дж. А. Дугласом отрывков из книги Нотовича (в переводе, с помощью жителя Леха) главному ламе, тот вскрикивал: «Sun, sun, sun, manna mi dug!» — что якобы означало: «Ложь, ложь, ложь, ничего, кроме лжи!» Однако, по другим сведениям [8] , эти восклицания не имеют никакого смысла ни на тибетском, ни на другом языке.
7. Согласно Нотовичу, настоятель сообщил ему, что ламы Хемиса принадлежат к школе желтошапочников и подчиняются Далай-ламе, а на самом деле они из школы красных шапок (Дуглас). Действительно, гомпа Хемис относится к линии кагью ( друкпа ), а не гелуг .
8. Рукопись об Иссе не зарегистрирована в научных каталогах, а также в буддийских собраниях Ганджур и Данджур (Мюллер). В ответ Нотович справедливо заметил, что каталоги неполны и известно лишь небольшое число из многих тысяч рукописей.
9. Невозможно, чтобы иудейские купцы, пришедшие в Индию после распятия Христа, могли встретить тех самых людей, которые знали Иссу, изучавшего здесь санскрит и пали. Имя Пилата в тибетской рукописи почему-то осталось неизмененным, в отличие от Моисея и Иисуса (Мюллер). Однако купцы были индийцами, которые побывали в Палестине, а записанные притчи могли быть рассказаны святым Фомой (Нотович).

Макс Мюллер сначала предположил, что ламы Хемиса разыграли с Нотовичем шутку, подсунув ему мистификацию, как это было с другими путешественниками. Однако расследование Дж. А. Дугласа, по его мнению, уничтожило репутацию русского автора, который оказался лжецом.

And what about Russia? В 1895 году приехавшего из Парижа Н. А. Нотовича арестовали из-за опасности его литературной деятельности «для государства и общества» и сослали в Сибирь (см. выше). Тогда же в ноябре появилась разгромная рецензия харьковского протоиерея Т. И. Буткевича (1854–1925), который, тем не менее, опубликовал «Тибетское евангелие» в переводе с немецкого издания.

Вторая рецензия (на французское издание) была написана И. Я. Стеллецким (1878–1949), перепутавшим Лех с Лхасой. Оба богослова не стеснялись в выражениях [9] — «авантюрист», «наглая ложь», «шарлатанство», «жидовская проделка» (хороши попы!) и т. д., обвинив Нотовича в корыстном желании заработать на доходах от своей книги. Курьезно, что потом И. Я. Стеллецкий стал известным археологом и много лет безуспешно искал библиотеку Ивана Грозного. Так что слово «авантюрист» он мог бы приложить и к себе.

Крайне правые забили тревогу. Союз русского народа обратился с открытым письмом в Священный Синод. Группа православных граждан расценила книгу Нотовича как «кощунство», оскорбившее их религиозное чувство (не напоминает ли наши дни?!) и т.д. Главную опасность усмотрели в том, что христианство идет не от Бога, а из Индии, раз Иисус позаимствовал буддийскую мудрость (буддизм, кстати, на 500 лет старше).

Однако нашлись и веротерпимые священники. Архимандрит «Хр.» во втором русском издании «Неизвестной жизни Иисуса» (1910) посчитал злостные нападки на Нотовича поведением, недостойным просвещенных христиан [10] .

После Нотовича

Помимо критиков нашлись и сторонники Н. А. Нотовича, в том числе среди христианских теологов [11] . Они привели ряд фактов, не обсуждавшихся критиками Нотовича. Основные из них следующие.

1. О тибетских текстах, упоминающих Иисуса, писала некая миссис Харви (Harvey) в 1853 году, задолго до Нотовича.
2. В 1922 году Хемис посетил Свами Абхедананда (Swami Abhedananda, 1866–1939), известный ученик Рама-кришны, с целью проверить находку Нотовича. В 1896 году он был в Лондоне, где не раз встречался с Максом Мюллером. В монастыре ему не только подтвердили реальность рукописи, но и дали ее для перевода. Было сказано, что оригинал на пали хранится в монастыре у Марбура близ Лхасы, а это — копия на тибетском. С помощью ламы Абхедананда перевел текст, который издал в книге на бенгальском (1929, «В Кашмире и Тибете», 1954). Сейчас он доступен в английском и русском вариантах. Содержание в целом совпадает с текстом Нотовича, хотя есть и расхождения.
3. В сентябре 1925 года Лех и Хемис посетили Рерихи. Основываясь на многочисленных рассказах и легендах, Н. К. Рерих был убежден в том, что Иисус жил в Индии. В книге «Алтай — Гималаи» (1979: 146) он прямо пишет о подлинности рукописи об Иссе в Хемисе. По одним свидетельствам, Рерих получил в Лехе некую рукопись, по другим — нет. Его сын, тибетолог Ю. Н. Рерих, ничего не сообщил об этом в своей книге о путешествии по Центральной Азии, но предположил несторианское происхождение «легенд христианского толка».
4. Летом 1939 города музыкант и педагог Элизабет Каспари (Elizabeth Caspari) из Швейцарии вместе с мужем и миссис Кларенс Гаски (Clarence Gasque, важная персона из Лондона) посетила Хемис в рамках путешествия к священной горе Кайлас на западе Тибета. После осмотра монастырской библиотеки к дамам подошел лама с тремя тибетскими книгами. Развернув одну из них, он сказал: «Эти книги говорят, что ваш Иисус был здесь». Посетительницы не знали ни книги Нотовича, ни тибетского языка и поэтому не могли оценить сенсацию, но сделали фото этого ламы, держащего рукопись (см. Профет, 2000: 276).
5. В 1947–1974 годах Ладак был закрыт для иностранцев. В 1979 году рукопись «Тибетского евангелия» в монастыре Хемис видела известный индолог Л. В. Шапошникова, много лет руководившая Международным центром Рерихов в Москве. Нехватка времени не позволила ей сделать перевод. Рукопись имела название «Жизнь святого Иссы, наилучшего из сынов человеческих»; ее возраст был оценен приблизительно в 5–6 веков [12] . На каком языке она написана и были ли сделаны ее фотографии, не сообщается. Странно, что сама Л. В. Шапошникова, насколько мне известно, ни разу не писала о столь сенсационной находке, за что ее пожурил индолог Л. В. Митрохин (1990: 48). Спросить Людмилу Васильевну уже невозможно, так как она недавно скончалась (24 августа).

Итак, есть определенные свидетельства о былом существовании некоей рукописи с описанием жизни Иссы. В какой мере она отражала действительность и когда была написана, можно будет понять, лишь когда ее получат и изучат специалисты. В заключение можно заметить, что канонические библейские евангелия, составленные неизвестными авторами, опираются лишь на более поздние копии, а не на оригиналы и приписаны, как многие новозаветные книги, тем, кто их не писал [13] .

TRV-hobby-information partner of SPBCU on the Himalayan project.

1. Боркин Л. Иисус в Кашмире: жизнь после распятия // ТрВ-Наука. № 186 от 25 августа 2015 года. С. 8–9.

2. Митрохин Л. В. Кашмирские легенды об Иисусе Христе. М.: Знание, 1990; Керстен Х. Иисус жил в Индии. М.: Эннеагон Пресс, 2007.

3. French P. Younghusband. The Last Great Imperial Adventurer. London: Harper Perennial, 2004. P. 60–61.

4. Notovitch Nicolas. La Vie inconnue de Jésus-Christ. Huitième édition. Paris: Paul Ollendorff, 1894. XII+305 p.

5. На самом деле Нотович в Тибете не был. Ранее Ладак называли «Западным Тибетом», иногда «Малым» или «Индийским Тибетом». В культурном и религиозном плане здесь действительно преобладает тибетское влияние, но географически это Западные Гималаи (кроме долины Нубра), и лишь озеро Пангонг лежит на западной окраине Тибетского нагорья.

6. Müller FM The alleged sojourn of Christ in India // The Nineteenth Century. 1894. No. 36. P. 515–522; Douglas JA The Chief Lama of Himis on the alleged “Unknown Life of Christ” // Там же. 1896. No. 39. P. 667–677.

7. Lawrence WR The Valley of Kashmir. Srinagar: Gulshan Books, 2011. P. 109 (reprint of 1895).

8. Kersten H. Jesus lived in India. New Delhi: Penguin Books, 2001. P. 16.

9. Буткевич Т. Как восполняются мнимые евангельские «пробелы» («Die Lücke im Leben Iesu»)? // Вера и разум. Kharkov. 1895. № 22, ноябрь, книжка вторая. С. 575–614; Стеллецкий И. Новый труд о жизни Иисуса Христа: «La vie inconnue de Jésus Christ»; Н. Нотович. Paris. 1894 г. // Труды Киевской духовной академии. 1904. Год 45, кн. 6. С. 249–280.

10. См.: Неизвестная жизнь Иисуса Христа (Тибетское сказание). Перевод с французского архимандрита Хр. Под редакцией В. В. Битнера. SPb. 1910. С. 11.

11. Профет Э. К. Утерянные годы Иисуса. М.: Лонгфелло, 2000; Хасснайн Ф. М. В поисках исторического Иисуса. М.: Саттва, 2006; Керстен Х. Иисус жил в Индии. М.: Эннеагон Пресс, 2007.

12. Лазарев Е. Тибетское сказание об Иисусе // Наука и религия. 1989. № 7. С. 59–60. В сноске 4 указано: «Запись беседы с Л.В. Шапошниковой от 8 июля 1988 года».

13. Эрман Б. Иисус, прерванное слово. М.: Эксмо, 2010.