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Sacred Texts: Buddhism

Amitabha, A Story of Buddhist Theology: Açvaghosha

Amitabha BuddhaMahayana BuddhismPaul CarusPure Land Buddhism

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*Amitabha, A Story of Buddhist Theology* (1906) by Paul Carus is a historical fiction set in ancient India during the reign of King Kanishka, a powerful conqueror who has recently made peace with the king of Magadha. The excerpt follows the two monarchs on a Buddhist pilgrimage to sacred sites — including the birthplace of the Buddha and the Deer Park at Benares — culminating in a joint celebration of the Buddha's birthday. During the procession, Kanishka is struck by the beauty of the king of Magadha's daughter, Bhadraçrî, and privately vows to make her his queen if she will accept him. The peace between the former enemies is formalized by the gift of the Buddha's sacred bowl and arrangements for the philosopher Açvaghosha (or a younger proxy) to accompany Kanishka back to Gandhâra as a spiritual advisor. Carus uses the historical Kushan Empire as a backdrop to dramatize Buddhist ideals — mercy toward defeated enemies, the civilizing power of the Dharma, and the intertwining of political authority with religious devotion. The work is notable for presenting Buddhism as a unifying, cosmopolitan force whose influence spread from Gandhâra across Asia, reflecting Carus's broader project of making Asian religious thought accessible and sympathetic to Western readers.

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