He received his doctorate in history from The Catholic University of America, with a thesis on Giambattista Vico's philosophy of history. He then studied Chinese language and Chinese culture in China and learned Sanskrit for the study of Hinduism. He published a book on the "Religions of India" and one on "Buddhism". He taught Asian religions at universities in New Jersey and New York (1956–1965). He then became the founder and director of the graduate program in the History of Religions at Fordham University (1966–1979). There he directed over twenty doctoral dissertations. During this period he also founded and directed the Riverdale Center of Religious Research in Riverdale, New York (1970–1995).