Barlaam and Josaphat

Barlaam and Josaphat is a mediæval legend, being a Christianised version of an earlier legend relating to Buddha, in which Josaphat, a prince like Buddha, is converted by Barlaam to a like ascetic life. The Latin version of the story appeared in 1048 and soon became well known in Western Europe as Barlaam and Josaphat.

The story was derived from Mahayana Buddhist text in between AD 2nd and 4th century, traveled to Baghdad as Arabian version as the story of "Kitab Bilawhar w-Budasaf" by 8th century, then into Middle Eastern Christian circles and finally appeared as European version.

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