to his
disciples, and of favors he granted them.

It has been said that Buddha tried to set aside the laws of caste.
This is an error. Neither did he attempt to break the Brahmanic
Pantheon.

Buddhism, which to-day is the religion of three hundred million
people, about one-fifth of the world's inhabitants, toward the
seventh or eighth century of our era almost entirely disappeared
from its birthplace, India, whence it had spread over the rest of
Asia, China, Russian Tartary, Burmah, etc. Only the two extreme
frontiers of India, Nepal, in the north, and Ceylon, in the south,
now practise the Buddhist cult.

Gautama Buddha left behind him no written works. The Buddhists
believe that he composed works which his immediate disciples
learned by heart, and which were committed to writing long
afterward. This is not impossible, as the _Vedas_[37] were handed
down in this manner for many hundreds of years.

[Footnote 37: _Vedas_: The sacred books of the Hindus, in Sanscrit;
probably written about six or seven centuries before Christ. _Veda_
means knowledge. The books comprise hymns, prayers, and liturgical
forms.]

There was certainly an historical basis for the Buddhist legend. In
fact, the legends group themselves round a number of very distinct
occurrences.

At the end of the sixth century B.C. those Aryan tribes sprung from
the same stem as our own ancestors, who have preserved for us in
their Vedic songs so precious a relic of ancient thought and life,
had pushed on beyond the five rivers of the Punjab, and were
settled far down into the valley of the Ganges. They had given up
their nomadic habits, dwelling in villages and towns, their wealth
being in land, produce, and cattle.

From democratic beginnings the whole nation had gradually become
bound by an iron system of caste. The country was split up into
little sections, each governed by some petty despot, and harassed
by internecine feuds. Religion had become a debasing ritualism,
with charms and incantations, fear of the influence of the stars,
and belief in dreams and omens. The idea of the existence of a soul
was supplemented by the doctrine of transmigration.

The priests were well-meaning, ignorant, and possessed of a sincere
belief in their own divinity. The