orldly things, handed over their
property to the Order, adopted the tonsure and a distinctive dress, and,
following the Master's doctrine with strictness themselves, devoted their
lives to its propagation. Any member, however, was at liberty to leave the
Brotherhood, should he wish to do so. It is noticeable that Buddha's
earliest followers were chiefly drawn--not, as in the case of a Greater
than he, from the ranks of the poor and simple--but from the upper classes.
Indeed, Gautama seems to have regarded the weak and ignorant as incapable
of receiving his teaching. Children are hardly mentioned in the early
Buddhist writings; and with regard to women, it was only with great
reluctance that Sakya-muni eventually consented to the formation of a
Sisterhood, the members of which were, as far as possible, to observe the
same rules as the men--together with several additional ones, chiefly
concerned with their subjection to the Brethren. In the same way, it is
still the teaching of Buddhism that it should be a woman's highest
aspiration to be reborn as a man, in a future state of existence. When,
however, the two Orders--for men and for women--had been formed, there still
remained a large number of either sex, who, without leaving their places
in the world, were desirous of being reckoned among Buddha's followers.
These were admitted as lay-adherents, one of their chief obligations being
to contribute to the maintenance of the Brethren.

Having exercised his public ministry for forty years--without, as would
appear, encountering any great opposition--and having committed his work to
the Brotherhood, to carry on after his decease, Buddha died, aged about
eighty, and was buried with great pomp. It is recorded that, as the time
of his departure drew nigh, he replied to his disciples' expressions of
apprehension and sorrow, by saying that when he should no longer be with
them in person, he would still be present with them in his sayings, in his
doctrine. Another point on which he laid great stress before his death was
that the Brotherhood should regularly assemble in convocation. Hence it
came about that from very early times, the declaration, "I seek refuge in
Buddha, Dharma (the Law), Samgha (the Brotherhood)," was adopted as the
formula which any one, desirous of becoming a Buddhist, was required to
profess. And it is the Trinity thus formed, which, represented to-day by
the three great images above the altar of many a Buddhist