Cross-Cultural Studies

The two Christian saints who are secretly the Buddha

The Christian legend of saints Barlaam and Josaphat of India is a near-perfect retelling of the life of Siddhartha Gautama, transmitted through Georgian, Arabic, and Persian intermediaries. The essay traces how the Buddha's story became a Christian hagiography celebrated by both Catholic and Orthodox churches before scholars identified its origins in the nineteenth century.

Essay · Religion · History · Buddhism · Christianity