The fascinating account of how the story of the Buddha was transformed into the legend of a Christian saint. The story of Saint Josaphat; a prince who gave up his wealth and kingdom to follow Jesus; was one of the most popular Christian tales of the Middle Ages; translated into a dozen languages; and cited by Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice. Yet Josaphat is only remembered today because of the similarities of his life to that of the Buddha. In Search of the Christian Buddha is set against the backdrop of the trade along the Silk Road; the Christian settlement of Palestine; the spread of Islam; and the Crusades. It traces the path of the Buddha’s tale from India and shows how it evolved; adopting details from each culture during its sojourn. These early instances of globalization allowed not only goods but also knowledge to flow between different cultures and around much of the world.Eminent scholars Donald S. Lopez Jr. and Peggy McCracken reveal how religions born thousands of miles apart shared ideas throughout the centuries. They uncover surprising convergences and divergences between these faiths on subjects including the meaning of death; the problem of desire; and their view of women. Demonstrating the incredible power of this tale; they ask not how stories circulate among religions but how religions circulate among stories.
#1671571 in Books W.W. Norton Co 1999-06-01Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x 1.30 x 5.80l; #File Name: 0393047121368 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. almost as bad as "they fought like demons" a book written about ...By triciaalmost as bad as "they fought like demons" a book written about women spies in the civil war. very slow going; I only read it at night to help me fall asleep.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Interesting topic; but a dry readBy BAGSThis reads more like a text book or research essay. It's a little dry for the casual reader who just wants to learn about the topic in their liesure time. It seems like author is trying to pack in a mention of EVERY woman who was ever involved in the Civil War; no matter how little information is available on them. However; it's an interesting subject; and some of the women are discussed in detail; with quotes from people who knew them. The detailed accounts are worth reading about.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Good shapeBy grammyWas just as I expected.
