Citation

Brown, Andrew James. “Celebrating Christmas Day without a Founder: Jesus, Śākyamuni Buddha and the Great Life.” Blogspot. Celebrating Christmas Day without a Founder, 24 Dec. 2025, https://andrewjbrown.blogspot.com/2025/12/celebrating-christmas-day-without.html.

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Literature notes

Prompts

Per Brown, most so-called founders of the world's religions didn't offer a new religion but what? :: A free-religious mode of being in the world.

Per Brown, what happened to so-called founders of the world's religions when they mature under the tutelage of a teacher? :: They transcend their teacher.

Jesus' first teacher. :: John the Baptist

Bible verse suggesting that Jesus' followers will transcend him. :: John 14:12

Per John 14:12, how would followers of Jesus compare to him eventually? :: They will transcend him.

What did Śākyamuni Buddha's taught his followers about being a religious founder?

1. Discouraged them to see him as a religious founder.
2. Urged them to develop self-reliance.

First line of Mahaparinibbana Sutta (Digha Nikaya 16). :: "Be lamps unto yourselves, be refuge to yourselves."

Per Brown, what does the Mahaparinibbana Sutta (Digha Nikaya 16) teach? :: Buddhist followers must develop self-reliance.

Per Imaoka, why can there be no founder of free-religion? :: Because its quintessence is grasping the meaning of "the Great Life."

Per Brown, before a good life could develop, a person needs what? :: An understanding of life.

Per Tolstoy in Gospel in Brief, what did Jesus' Gospel do to the belief in an external God? :: Replaced it with an understanding of life.

Per Brown, how often did Jesus taught us to reconnect directly with "the Great Life"? :: Daily

Per Miki, what statement by Shinran proves that he didn't see himself as a founder? :: "I, Shinran, have no disciples."

Per Miki, what reconnects us directly and daily with the Great Life? :: Nembutsu