The United States, primarily a Judeo-Christian nation until recently, now encompasses theological groups relatively unknown in the early days of the republic. Buddhism -- the world's fourth largest religion after Christianity, Islam and Hinduism -- has been steadily gaining adherents in America.

THE BUDDHA, a two-hour documentary from Emmy Award winner David Grubin, relates the life of the Indian sage who famously gained enlightenment as he sat beneath a fig tree two-and-a-half millennia ago. This film tells the Buddha's story through painting and sculptures by some of the world's greatest artists and tracks his biography across the sweeping landscapes of northern India.

The testimony of contemporary Buddhists, from Pulitzer Prize-winning poet W.S. Merwin to the Dalai Lama, provide insight into the ancient narrative of the man who never claimed to be God or God's emissary, but merely a human being who, in a world of unavoidable pain and suffering, had achieved a serenity that others, too, could find.

This documentary tells the story of his life, a journey especially relevant in our own times.