st. john of damascus (676-749 - Cristo Raul

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APPENDIX,
P. IQI. THE STORIES OF JOSAPHAT AND BUDDHA.
THE points of resemblance between the Barlaam and
fosaphat and the Lalita Vistara, or legendary Life of
Buddha, are so interesting as to deserve more than
a passing allusion in a note. Attention was called to
the subject by Professor Max Miiller, in a Lecture
on the Migration of Fables delivered at the
Royal Institution, June 3rd, 1870, and afterwards
published in the Contemporary Review for the fol
lowing July. It had been before remarked upon,
as Max Miiller observes, by M. Laboolaye (in the
Debats, 1859), by Dr. F. Liebrecht (in the Jahrbuch
fiir romanische und englische Literattir, Berlin, 1860),
and by Mr. Beal (in his translation of the Travels of
Fa Hian, 1869). It is also discussed by Dr. Langen,
in \usjohannes von Damascus, 1879, p. 251.
The similarity of the stories is especially seen in the
accounts of the bringing up of the young princes,
and, above all, in what befel each of them during his
excursions from the palace where he had been con
fined. After reading what has been stated above (p.
191), in the abstract given from John of Damascus,
let any one turn to the companion picture, and he
will see what a resemblance there is between them.
In the Lalita Vistara" says Professor Max Miiller,
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the
Life, though no doubt the legendary Life, of
Buddha, the father of Buddha is a king. When his
son is born, the Brahman Asita predicts that he will
rise to great glory, and become either a powerful