180 THE REV. R. COLLINS, ON 



what we call Buddhism, under various Buddhist teachers, and we 

 find, in point of fact, that almost every book of Hindoo philosophy 

 has entered more or less into questions discussed also by Buddhists ; 

 and that what people look upon as Buddhism now is simply a phase 

 of Hindoo philosophy. 



With regard to the Upanishads, to which reference has been 

 made, there is certainly in them constant reference to the sacrificial 

 system. 



The Author. — continuing — In one, foi' instance, there is an 

 account of a young Brahmin, who comes to his instructor; and he 

 is instructed in various matters connected with sacrifices. Of 

 coui'se the great subject of the Upanishads is as to the existence of 

 the universal spirit, and its influence in the world under the most 

 remarkable and often beautiful illustrations ; but I do not see 

 anything there, that can be taken as the origin of Buddhism. 

 I thank those who have expressed their aj^pi-eciation of the paper. 

 (Applause) 



The Meeting was then adjourned. 



REMARKS ON THE FOREGOING PAPER. 



Colonel CoNDER, R.E., D.C.L., wi-ites : — 



The Rev. R. Collins has sought to refute some of the popular 

 illusions regarding Buddha and Buddhism, which prevail in 

 England at the present time, including: first, the belief that a 

 third of the population of the world follows Buddha; secondly, that 

 the legendary story of Buddha, found in the Lalita Vistara, is 

 ancient and authentic ; and thirdly, that the ignorant impostors who 

 have adopted the term " Esoteric Buddhism," to delude the unwary, 

 are authorities on Buddhism. Those who wish to know what is 

 really thought by scholai's will turn to the works of Rhys-Davids, 

 Beal, and the numerous Pali and Sanskrit scholars who have con- 

 tributed to Max Mlillcr's library of " Sacred Books of the East." 



