Barlaam And Loasaph

By St John Damascene

Book Overview

Barlaam and Loasaph is a religious and philosophical novel that tells the story of a young Indian prince named Loasaph who is converted to Christianity by a wise hermit named Barlaam. The novel is based on the legend of Buddha and was written in the 7th century by St. John Damascene, a Christian monk from Syria.The story begins with King Abenner, the father of Loasaph, who is warned by an astrologer that his son will become a Christian and abandon his kingdom. In an attempt to prevent this prophecy from coming true, the king orders Loasaph to be confined to a palace and kept away from all religious teachings.However, Loasaph's curiosity leads him to venture outside the palace walls where he meets Barlaam, a hermit who teaches him about Christianity and the true meaning of life. Barlaam uses parables and allegories to explain the principles of Christianity, and Loasaph is soon convinced of the truth of this new religion.The novel explores themes of faith, morality, and the human condition, and it is often cited as an example of the influence of Eastern philosophy on Christian thought. It is also considered an important work in the history of literature, as it has been translated into many languages and has been widely read and studied for centuries.There was at that time a certain monk, learned in heavenly things, graced in word and deed, a model follower of every monastic rule. Whence he sprang, and what his race, I cannot say, but he dwelt in a waste howling wilderness in the land of Senaar, and had been perfected through the grace of the priesthood. Barlaam was this elder's name.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1419108921
• ISBN13: 9781419108921
• Release Date: June 2004
• Publisher: Kessinger Publishing
• Length: 172 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 7.5" x 9.3"