s followers.

The independent Prophets are the lawgivers and the founders of a new
cycle. Through Their appearance the world puts on a new garment, the
foundations of religion are established, and a new book is revealed.
Without an intermediary They receive bounty from the Reality of the
Divinity, and Their illumination is an essential illumination. They are
like the sun which is luminous in itself: the light is its essential
necessity; it does not receive light from any other star. These
Dawning-places of the morn of Unity are the sources of bounty and the
mirrors of the Essence of Reality.

The other Prophets are followers and promoters, for they are branches and
not independent; they receive the bounty of the independent Prophets, and
they profit by the light of the Guidance of the universal Prophets. They
are like the moon, which is not luminous and radiant in itself, but
receives its light from the sun.

The Manifestations of universal Prophethood Who appeared independently
are, for example, Abraham, Moses, Christ, Muhammad, the Bab and
Baha'u'llah. But the others who are followers and promoters are like
Solomon, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. For the independent Prophets
are founders; They establish a new religion and make new creatures of men;
They change the general morals, promote new customs and rules, renew the
cycle and the Law. Their appearance is like the season of spring, which
arrays all earthly beings in a new garment, and gives them a new life.

With regard to the second sort of Prophets who are followers, these also
promote the Law of God, make known the Religion of God, and proclaim His
word. Of themselves they have no power and might, except what they receive
from the independent Prophets.

Question.--To which category do Buddha and Confucius belong?

Answer.--Buddha also established a new religion, and Confucius renewed
morals and ancient virtues, but their institutions have been entirely
destroyed. The beliefs and rites of the Buddhists and Confucianists have
not continued in accordance with their fundamental teachings. The founder
of Buddhism was a wonderful soul. He established the Oneness of God, but
later the original principles of His doctrines gradually disappeared, and
ignorant customs and ceremonials arose and increased until they finally
ended in the worship of statues and images.

Now, consider: Christ frequently repeated that the Ten Commandments in the
Pentateuch were to b