BUDDHA AND BUDDHISM.
Buddha and Buddhism. By A. Lillie, M.A. (T. and T. Clark, Edinburgh. 384—Mr. Lillie is very industrious in putting Buddha and Jesus side by side, and in his conclusion says "that from Buddha came the main elements that changed Mosaism into the leading creed of Europe." That is to say, Buddha anticipated Christ's teaching. For our part, the imperfections of Buddhism are apparent enough, and Dr. Crozier's objections to it are hardly disposed of by Mr. Lillie. Asceticism is a cardinal feature of Buddhism, and it condemns the creed. None of the answers to Dr. Crozier's arguments are satisfactory. But Buddhism has one great element of nobility, it has never been a coercive religion ; this and its enormous share in the world's religions we must never forget. But Mr. Lillie is wise in saying it does little good to compare Buddhism and Christianity under their modern aspects. But why not? All religions must stand their trial, and if the thousand years of Buddhist rule and religious toleration did not do more for India than history tells us they did, Buddhism was found wanting. Buddha and Buddhism lacks coherence and arrangement, with its miscellaneous paragraphs and headlines and isolated comparisons. If Mr. Lillie had adopted a more orderly arrangement he could have brought many remarkable parallels into prominence. And in comparing the rather hazy definition of Buddha with the more defined ideas of a Christian he makes use of an expression which we trust he overlooked, for it is in un- commonly bad taste.
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