Essential Virtues 59 



tion, knowledge; but the greatest of all is charity. 

 Says a writer already quoted : * " Charity or benevolence 

 may be said to be the characteristic virtue of Buddhism 

 — a charity boundless in its self-abnegation, and ex- 

 tending to every sentient being. The benevolent 

 actions done by the Buddha himself, in the course of 

 his many millions of migrations, were favorite themes 

 of his followers. On one occasion, seeing a tigress 

 starved and unable to feed her cubs, he hesitated not 

 to make his body an oblation to charity, and allowed 

 them to devour him. Benevolence to animals, with 

 that tendency to exaggerate a right principle so char- 

 acteristic of the east, is carried among the Buddhist 

 monks to the length of avoiding the destruction of fleas 

 and the most noxious vermin which they remove from 

 their persons with all tenderness." (This exaggerated 

 benevolence, I may add, would flow naturally from 

 their belief in the transmigration of souls whereby 

 every animal might prove a possible relative.) But as 

 regards the more important elements of human con- 

 duct, as Max Miiller again says : 2 " Every shade of 

 vice, hypocrisy, anger, pride, suspicion, greediness, 

 gossiping, is guarded against by special precepts. 

 Among the virtues recommended we find not only 

 reverence of parents, care for children, submission to 

 authority, gratitude, moderation in time of prosperity, 

 submission in time of trial, equanimity at all times, but 

 virtues unknown in any heathen system of morality, 



i Int. Cyc. vol. III. p. 155. See Max Miiller, vol. I. p. 245. 

 2 Chips from, a German Workshop, vol. I. p. 218. 



