Byzantine history Joasaph is a medieval bestseller, which was preceded by Hesse's novel "Siddharta" was the beginning of the age of Enlightenment in the West.

"Therefore, we must consider themselves Christians," wrote the unbeliever Croce, thinking about a common European roots. With the same objectivity today we should think over the question, "why can't we do not consider themselves Buddhists." Buddhism is more than philosophy, and less than religion. Maybe this is the most shared in the modern world doctrine.

Modern philosophy, asistencialista and other impregnated with Buddhism more than Christianity. Bestseller Hesse "Siddharta" greatly influenced the formation of the last two generations. The combination of various mystical currents and movements of the "New era" (the New Age), and prior to her teachings of pioneers Catholic modernism, among whom was Thomas Merton, promoted cultural and religious dissemination of Buddhism, which led to confessional mixture. Christian yoga and mixed forms of meditation become a habit.

Basically, the Buddhist influence on the development of thought and culture of the West goes back to the research of Eastern culture and philosophy. Say, Schopenhauer from childhood he was under the influence of philosophical ideas of the East. But in reality, Buddhism, for centuries, have taken root in the West in the collective psyche and culture that have prepared the ground for the final coup in the nineteenth century. In the eleventh century Buddha became a Holy Christian Church. His name was only slightly camouflaged: Joasaph comes from the word bodhisattva-budasaf-iudasaf. Different versions of the life of the Buddha came to Byzantium.

In Byzantium there first written version of the life. Buddhism never had the Scriptures, since it is important not doctrine, and harmony of conduct. This fact is differently perceived by different cultures and different reflected in written sources. But in Byzantium, where the book was worshipped there was a new original text of "the Story of Barlaam and Joasaph", written in the late tenth and early eleventh century Euthymios Iver. He came from a noble Georgian family in childhood was given a hostage of the Greek Emperor in Constantinople, where he successfully graduated from book learning. Then he came to the Holy mountain Athos Iveria monastery, where he became a monk. From here originates the Buddhist trail Byzantine texts. Then the number of stories of Buddha's life will grow exponentially in Western literature, and the Buddha will broaden the horizons spread his teachings to the West as Christian Saint.

The history of the bodhisattva Joasaph will be one of the most popular books in the middle ages, this is a literary predecessor of the book "Siddhartha". This Greek text will be translated into Church Slavonic language, and then in Serbian and English. In the East version Euphemia will be translated into Arabic, Ethiopian, Armenian, Jewish and Syrian languages. No other legend about the works and the life of a Saint never reached such popularity in the West as Christian legend of Siddhartha. Its Latin translation, in which the influence of Manichaeism, reached the Provence of the Cathars and the Albigensians. History Joasaph will be reflected in the French and German medieval epics, "Barlaam and Joasaph" Rudolf von EMC. The charm of this story will experience in the fourteenth century Catherine of Siena, all inclined to mysticism Italy, through Novellino" it will penetrate into the Decameron by Boccaccio.

History Joasaph will be reflected in the French city literature Pablo, legends, folk mysteries, in the medieval ballads. It will shake the audience during a performance at the squares. It will cross the Northern border and reach Shakespeare theatre. In the sixteenth century it will achieve the highest success in Spain, where Lope de VEGA will create their own version and write drama "Barlaam and Joasaph". In the play the Spanish playwright Pedro Calderon de La Barca "life is a dream" will be drawn a comprehensive portrait of the young Prince, disengaged from the world and immersed in thought. Through Calderon story of Buddha's life - this diverse legend, in which, as in the collection "Aleph" Borges, contains all the ends and all the start - go into the literature of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and will find such interpreters, as Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Marcel Swab.

In such works as the mirror of the great" Vincent of Beauvais and the "Golden legend" James Workinkaro, reflects not only the history of Gautama Sakyamuni, but ten legends, the most famous of which is an allegory about the unicorn, which is known today mainly in the version of Zen. One person pursues an angry unicorn. He wants to escape from it stumbles and falls into the ravine. During the fall, he manages to hold the Bush. He looks down and sees two mice - one black and the other white - bite the roots of the Bush. At the bottom of the ravine he sees waiting for him dragon with open mouth. Near his feet he sees four snakes creeping out of the rock. He looks up to heaven and sees that the branches of the honey hive. Then he stops to think and worry and entirely given to the sensation of sweetness little drops of honey.

Perhaps one of the most valuable achievements of Byzantium is that it has brought to the West this legend, probably Jain origin. Her mystical echo came to Baudelaire, inspiring him to create My naked heart" (Mon coeur mis ? nu), and to Tolstoy, in his "Confessions" which might contain a very clear exposition of Christian Buddhism. He wrote that he had learned from the book of lives of the saints of the Orthodox Church "chetyi-" about Byzantine Buddha and-a fresh look at the question about the meaning of life.

Sylvia Ronchi (SILVIA RONCHEY)