lands. The last of these councils is
said to have been held 251 years before Christ, so that long
before Christianity was founded we have this great religion
with its sacred traditions of Buddha's words, its councils
and its missions, besides, as we shall presently see, many
things strangely like the rites of the Roman Catholic
Church."--Clodd.

I will here give a few of the wise or kind or moral commands of Buddha.
If the first were followed in Christian countries we should be a more
moral and a less superstitious people than we are to-day.

"Buddha said: '_The succoring of mother and father, the cherishing
of child and wife, and the following of a lawful calling, this is the
greatest blessing._'

"'The giving alms, a religious life, aid rendered to relations,
blameless acts, this, is the greatest blessing.'

"'The abstaining from sins and the avoiding them, the eschewing of
intoxicating drink, diligence in good deeds, reverence and humility,
contentment and gratefulness, this is the greatest blessing.'

"'Those who having done these things, become invincible on all sides,
attain happiness on all sides. This is the greatest blessing.'

"'He who lives a hundred years, vicious and unrestrained, a life of one
day is better if a man is virtuous and reflecting.'

"'Let no man think lightly of evil, saying in his heart, it will not
come near unto me. Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot
is filled; the fool becomes full of evil if he gathers it little by
little.'

"'Not to commit any sin, to do good, and to purify one's mind, that is
the teaching of the Awakened.' (This is one of the most solemn verses
among the Buddhists).

"'Let us live happily then, not hating those who hate us! Let us dwell
free from hatred among men who hate!'

"After these doctrines there follow ten commandments, of which the
first five apply to all people, and the rest chiefly to such as set
themselves apart for a religious life. They are: not to kill; not to
steal; not to commit adultery; not to lie; not to get drunk; to abstain
from late meals; from public amusements; from expensive dress; from
large beds; and to accept neither gold nor silver." *

Keep in mind that Buddha lived more than 500 years _before_ Christ.

"The success of Buddhism was in this: It was a protest against the
powers of the priests; _it to a large degree broke down caste by
declaring that all men are equal_, and by allowing