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people as the supreme ruler of life and death； was worshipped
as the highest ideal of perfection。 To become like Brahma； to
lose all desires for riches and power； was recognised as the most
exalted purpose of existence。 Holy thoughts were regarded
as more important than holy deeds； and many people went
into the desert and lived upon the leaves of trees and starved
their bodies that they might feed their souls with the glorious
contemplation of the splendours of Brahma； the Wise； the
Good and the Merciful。
Siddhartha； who had often observed these solitary wanderers
who were seeking the truth far away from the turmoil
of the cities and the villages； decided to follow their example。
He cut his hair。 He took his pearls and his rubies and sent
them back to his family with a message of farewell； which the
ever faithful Channa carried。 Without a single follower； the
young prince then moved into the wilderness。
Soon the fame of his holy conduct spread among the mountains。
Five young men came to him and asked that they might
be allowed to listen to his words of wisdom。 He agreed to be
their master if they would follow him。 They consented； and
he took them into the hills and for six years he taught them
all he knew amidst the lonely peaks of the Vindhya Mountains。
But at the end of this period of study； he felt that he was still
far from perfection。 The world that he had left continued to
tempt him。 He now asked that his pupils leave him and then
he fasted for forty…nine days and nights； sitting upon the roots
of an old tree。 At last he received his reward。 In the dusk of
the fiftieth evening； Brahma revealed himself to his faithful
servant。 From that moment on； Siddhartha was called Buddha
and he was revered as the Enlightened One who had come to
save men from their unhappy mortal fate。
The last forty…five years of his life； Buddha spent within
the valley of the Ganges River； teaching his simple lesson of
submission and meekness unto all men。 In the year 488 before
our era； he died； full of years and beloved by millions of people。
He had not preached his doctrines for the benefit of a single
class。 Even the lowest Pariah might call himself his disciple。
This； however； did not please the nobles and the priests and
the merchants who did their best to destroy a creed which recognised
the equality of all living creatures and offered men the
hope of a second life （a reincarnation） under happier circumstances。
As soon as they could； they encouraged the people of
India to return to the ancient doctrines of the Brahmin creed
with its fasting and its tortures of the sinful body。 But
Buddhism could not be destroyed。 Slowly the disciples of the
Enlightened One wandered across the valleys of the Himalayas；
and moved into China。 They crossed the Yellow Sea
and preached the wisdom of their master unto the people of
Japan； and they faithfully obeyed the will of their great master；
who had forbidden them to use force。 To…day more people
recognise Buddha as their teacher than ever before and their
number surpasses that of the combined followers of Christ and Mohammed。
As for Confucius； the wise old man of the Chinese； his
story is a simple one。 He was born in the year 550 B。C。 He
led a quiet； dignified and uneventful life at a time when China
was without a strong central government and when the Chinese
people were at the mercy of bandits and robber…barons who
went from city to city； pillaging and stealing and murdering
and turning the busy plains of northern and central China into
a wilderness of starving people。
Confucius； who loved his people； tried to save them。 He
did not have much faith in the use of violence。 He was a very
peaceful person。 He did not think that he could make people
over by giving them a lot of new laws。 He knew that the only
possible salvation would come from a change of heart； and he
set out upon the seemingly hopeless task of changing the character
of his millions of fellow men who inhabited the wide plains
of eastern Asia。 The Chinese had never been much interested
in religion as we understand that word。 They believed in
devils and spooks as most primitive people do。 But they had
no prophets and recognised no ‘‘revealed truth。'' Confucius
is almost the only one among the great moral leaders who did
not see visions； who did not proclaim himself as the messenger
of a divine power； who did not； at some time or another； claim
that he was inspired by voices from above。
He was just a very sensible and kindly man； rather given
to lonely wanderings and melancholy tunes upon his faithful
flute。 He asked for no recognition。 He did not demand that
any one should follow him or worship him。 He reminds us
of the ancient Greek philosophers； especially those of the Stoic
School； men who believed in right living and righteous thinking
without the hope of a reward but simply for the peace of
the soul that comes with a good conscience。
Confucius was a very tolerant man。 He went out of his
way to visit Lao…Tse； the other great Chinese leader and the
founder of a philosophic system called ‘‘Taoism；'' which was
merely an early Chinese version of the Golden Rule。
Confucius bore no hatred to any one。 He taught the virtue
of supreme self…possession。 A person of real worth； according
to the teaching of Confucius； did not allow himself to be
ruffled by anger and suffered whatever fate brought him with
the resignation of those sages who understand that everything
which happens； in one way or another； is meant for the best。
At first he had only a few students。 Gradually the number
increased。 Before his death； in the year 478 B。C。； several of the
kings and the princes of China confessed themselves his disciples。
When Christ was born in Bethlehem； the philosophy of
Confucius had already become a part of the mental make…up
of most Chinamen。 It has continued to influence their lives
ever since。 Not however in its pure； original form。 Most religions
change as time goes on。 Christ preached humility and
meekness and absence from worldly ambitions； but fifteen
centuries after Golgotha； the head of the Christian church was
spending millions upon the erection of a building that bore
little relation to the lonely stable of Bethlehem。
Lao…Tse taught the Golden Rule； and in less than three
centuries the ignorant masses had made him into a real and
very cruel God and had buried his wise commandments under
a rubbish…heap of superstition which made the lives of the average
Chinese one long series of frights and fears and horrors。
Confucius had shown his students the beauties of honouring
their Father and their Mother。 They soon began to be more
interested in the memory of their departed parents than in the
happiness of their children and their grandchildren。 Deliberately
they turned their backs upon the future and tried to
peer into the vast darkness of the past。 The worship of the
an