saintcontext does not free them from becoming stereotypical descriptions of
sacred persons. It is thus difficult to discern a chronological account of a
subject’s life because the subject’s virtues and religious achievements tend
to be emphasized by the composer. What a reader receives is an ideal
portrait of a subject bereft of personal faults and weaknesses. Rather than
a complete and objective portrait, the composer stresses the sanctity of the
subject. Because hagiographies are embellished, pious narratives, it is
impossible for a reader to grasp their accuracy and truthfulness, although
the stories are realistic in order for readers to feel comfortable with them
and to be able to relate them to their current world.
Hagiography provides a paradigm for a particular type of religious
figure. These narratives also function didactically in the sense of pre-
cisely demonstrating ideal models for religious life within a particular
tradition, employing cosmologies and teachings already accepted by fol-
lowers. Hagiographical literature combines paradigmatic thinking that
provides a system of categories and concepts with narrative thinking that
depicts experience by locating it in particular times and places. These two
types of thinking complement each other because paradigmatic thinking
produces a whole system, while narrative thinking generates particular
stories. Within a particular hagiography, paradigmatic and narrative
thinking reinforce and legitimate each other.
Upagupta and Śāriputra are two Buddhist monks who exemplify Buddhist
virtues and truths. Śāriputra, who is considered second in stature and
authority to the Buddha during their lives together, is depicted as a paragon
of humility, compassion, wisdom and patience. He is also remembered and
depicted as an expert in the more philosophical Abhidharma literature.
Upagupta, a very handsome man, is depicted as an accomplished monk able
to resist the entreaties of the most beautiful harlot in the area. After she is
severely punished with disfigurement for the murder of a lover, Upagupta
demonstrates his compassion by teaching her the Buddhist doctrine.
The term hagiography is criticized by some scholars because the sto-
ries are glowing, mixed with mythical and legendary elements, and con-
tain uncritical descriptions of a person without much trustworthy
historical content. These scholars want to replace the term with “sacred
biography” in order to escape the negative associations characteristic of
hagiography. Other scholars want to retain hagiography for narratives
about saints, mystics, prophets, and other charismatic figures, while sav-
ing sacred biography for stories initiated by followers or devotees of a
religious founder.
Further reading: Brown (1981); Cunningham (1980); Heffernan (1988);
Reynolds and Capps (1976); Schimmel (1985); Weinstein and Bell (1982)