53 o THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



acter of the final theses, but also upon the general standard of 

 scholarship in the university, because the whole body of students 

 becomes more industrious ; and following this naturally the stand- 

 ard of the lecturers must be correspondingly raised. It is claimed 

 that the requirements in examinations are rather higher in Swiss 

 universities than in those where women are not admitted to equal 

 privileges. The students themselves grant that the influence is 

 good by their cheerful acceptance of the conditions and their 

 business-like adjustment of each other's rights men and women 

 together as men and men together, according to rules of refined 

 courtesy. A tutor from the University of Vienna visited Zurich 

 during the past winter for the purpose of observation, because an 

 appeal had come from women in Vienna for admission to study. 

 He was much impressed by the air of order and business which 

 the class-rooms everywhere presented. The live interest which 

 pervaded everything and absorbed all thought of self or sex in 

 delight of new power to see and do, was incomprehensible to him. 

 Such earnest preparation and such sensible recognition of favor- 

 able conditions and devotion to a chosen work must make women 

 who will be powerful afterward in the general work of elevating 

 humanity ; and when all the world's universities thus join hands 

 in developing all the forces God has placed latent in men and 

 women, the full light will sooner shine into corners which are as 

 yet mysterious and only tempting to man's curiosity or tantaliz- 

 ing to his needs. 



CHINESE BUDDHISM. 



By WARREN G. BENTON. 



IN a former paper, on the Taouist Religion, it was the purpose 

 of the writer not to dwell upon the strictly historical features 

 of the subject. That has been done by others, whose conclusions 

 are recorded in books and encyclopaedias which may be consulted. 

 But the object aimed at was to give as true a picture as possible, 

 in small space, of the practical workings of the system at the 

 present time. 



In writing of Chinese Buddhism the purpose is not to enter 

 the historical phases of the question, but to show the present status 

 of this ancient faith in the land of its adoption. 



Historians generally agree that the religion was invented in 

 Hindostan, about six centuries B. c, and that it has spread 

 throughout almost all of Asia, until it is to-day the religion of 

 at least a third of the human race. To have lived so long, and 

 reached so wide a field in its conquests, indicate elements of vital- 

 ity not frequently matched in the world's history ; and, while its 



