returned to the flesh in this
world. There are one hundred and thirty-six Buddhist hells, regularly
graded in the degree of suffering experienced and the length of time it
endures, the shortest term being ten million years. A good life secures an
elevated and happy life on earth, or as a blessed spirit in one of the many
heavens, where existence is continued for a bagatelle of ten billion years.
When the _karma_ is exhausted"--

"What in the world is that?" asked Mrs. Blossom, who was struggling to
understand the subject.

"It is the allotted term of existence, including the manner of living,
whether in bliss or misery. The person must be born again, and then become
a god, or the vilest creature that crawls the earth, according as he has
behaved himself. The Buddhists do not appear to have any idea of a personal
God; and they are practically atheists, though there are many good things
in their system. They recognize no omniscient, omnipresent, all-powerful
Supreme Being, who presides over the universe and all that is in it. They
are pessimists, and believe that life, on the whole, is misery, a curse
rather than a blessing. I have given you only a faint outline of what
Buddhism is. It has points in which it resembles Christianity. Buddha is
dead and gone; but his followers put up petitions to him, though there is
no one to hear and answer their prayers. But I must stop for the want of
time rather than because there is nothing more to be said; and I have done
no more than touch the subject."

"But it is not very different from Brahminism," suggested Professor Giroud.

"You are quite right, Professor," replied Sir Modava. "Brahma means the
universal spirit; but it is not a personal divinity to be worshipped. I
believe there is not an idol or sculpture in all India that represents
Brahma. Something that passes for this mystic spirit is represented with
four heads."

"But is there not a new church or philosophy of recent date--I mean Brahmo
Somaj?" inquired Dr. Hawkes.

"Rammohun Roy, or Rajah Ram Mohan Rai, was a Hindu ruler in the Presidency
of Bengal, born in 1772. His ancestors were Brahmins of high birth. He
studied Sanskrit, Arabian, and Persian, and was a profound scholar and
philosopher. When he began to have some doubt about the faith of his
fathers, he went to Thibet to study Buddhism, where he was so outspoken
that he offended the priests and others, and his religious belief brought
upon him the enmity of hi