How much contact did Jesus have with Buddhism early in his life? In this 1927 work, Dwight Goddard compares the lives and teachings of Christ and Gautama, the young Buddha, giving a context to the two religions and exploring their historical and theological intersections. Key to his investigation is a study of the Essenes, a semi-Buddhist Jewish sect that had a direct influence on both Jesus and John the Baptist. Also included is a fascinating psychological portrait of the historical Jesus sure to prove controversial to believers and nonbelievers alike. DWIGHT GODDARD (1861-1939), a pioneer in the American Zen Buddhist movement, authored and edited nine books on Buddhism, including The Buddhist Bible, known to have influenced the views of iconic Beat author Jack Kerouac.