author
Arthur Lillie
1831–1911
A former British Indian Army officer who turned his curiosity toward Buddhism, comparative religion, and literary history. His books often tried to draw bold links between Eastern and Western traditions, making him an unusual and controversial voice of the late 19th century.
1 Audiobook
The Influence of Buddhism on Primitive Christianity
by Arthur Lillie
About the author
Born in Fulham in 1831, Arthur Lillie served as an officer in the British Indian Army before becoming known as a writer on religion and history. He is commonly described as a soldier, writer, and Buddhist, and his life in India seems to have shaped much of his later work.
Lillie wrote about Buddhism, Christianity, and the possible connections between major religious traditions. Works associated with him include The Popular Life of Buddha, Buddha and Buddhism, and The Influence of Buddhism on Primitive Christianity. His interests also stretched into literary comparison, showing a habit of pursuing big, cross-cultural arguments.
His ideas attracted attention, but they were not always warmly received by scholars. Even so, he remains a distinctive figure for readers interested in Victorian-era debates about religion, empire, and the meeting of Asian and European thought.