Only the Brahmans of India have equalled them in intellectual subtilty and acumen.

I won't give you anything!" "Only one rupee, Rái Bahádur," pleaded the Brahman with folded hands.

Although it is a matter of common knowledge that about the fifth century of our era Buddhism was driven out by the Brahmans from its ancient home in the southernmost part of the Indian peninsula, and afterwards spread over the whole of the rest of Asia, as far as I know, we have no definite account of any crimes of violence, or wars, or cruelties, perpetrated in the course of it.

[Footnote 1: A Brahman of Benâres, said to have been one hundred and twenty years old, who came to learn from Buddha the very night he died.

And it came to pass in the fulness of time, as the Sahyadri-khand tells, that Parashurama called all Brahmans to a great festival in the new land which he had created between the mountains and the sea.

Nanda promises to dedicate cows, loads the Brahmans with presents, and summons all the musicians and singers of the city.

The Brahmans thereupon knowing how great was the spiritual power of Buddha, forthwith left their families, and became monks.

The Buddhists from time to time were subjected to great persecution from the emperors of China, in which their sacred books were destroyed; and in India the Brahmans at last regained their power, and expelled Buddhism from the country.

And the Brahman in his joy at his son-in-law's recovery forgave his disobedient sons, and they too all lived happily together ever afterwards.

He intercepted Rámdá, one afternoon, on his way to visit Samarendra's widow, and, affecting sincere penitence for the injury he had endeavoured to work, he invited the unsuspecting Brahman into his sitting-room.

The elder Brahman said, "Every Wednesday and every Thursday you must invite a Brahman to dinner.

To prevent the Brahman from getting up without any food, the little girl's father agreed to their marriage.

Hence the Chou rulers were glad to call in the old priests as performers of ceremonies and teachers of morality similar to the ancient Indian rulers who needed the Brahmans for the correct performance of all rites.