Ernest Haeckel, in his Riddle of the Universe, tries to give a foundation to monistic religion; but his monism is one-sided, because he says that the ultimate substance of the universe is unintelligent. According to Vedanta, however, the final substance of the Universe is Brahman, which is Satt or absolute existence, Chit or absolute intelligence, and Ananda or absolute bliss. Vedanta teaches that that which is the substance of our souls must possess intelligence, consciousness and blissfulness. Thus Vedanta lays the true foundation of a universal religion which is monistic or non-dualistic."*

The Vedas have their Vedangas and Upavedas, i. e., subsidiary Vedas. The purpose of the Vedangas is to preserve the Vedic texts and they deal with (1) Shiksha or the science of phonetics and pronunciation, (2) Chhandas or metre, (3) Vyakarana or grammar, (4) Nirukta or Etymology, (5) Kalpa or religious practice, (6) Jyotish or astronomy and astrology. The Upavedas treat of more distinctly secular subjects such as: (1) Ayurveda or the science of life, i. e., medicine, (2) Dhanurveda, or the science of war (literally, of archery), (3) Gandharvaveda, or music, and (4) Arthashastra, or the science of wealth, comprising treatises on architecture, art and economics.

The Vedas are somtimes known as Shrutis, i. e., things heard from divine sources; besides the Shrutis there is a vast body of Literature considered semidivine in its origin, called the Smritri, i. e., things remembered. Of the four Smritis, the Manu-Smriti or the Code of Manu is the most important. Today Roman Law forms the basis of the law codes of the civilized world, but as Louis Jacolliot in his book "The Bible in India" has shown, Roman Law itself was derived from the Laws of Manu; indeed the Mosaic Laws and the Laws of the Egyptian Minos are all derived from Manu according to this eminent authority.

Quoted from “India and Her People" by Swami Abhedananda.

The vigorous mental activity of the Aryan thinkers found its expression in the writing of two great epics of India, the Ramayana and the Mahabharat, which contain some of the most beautiful ethical teachings couched in lofty words. To this vast treasure-house of Hindu religio-philosophic literature was added a little later on the Itihasa or history and Puranas or narratives of ancient events. The date of this immense literature is put somewhere between 7,000 B. C. and 700 B. C., not to stretch it milleniums earlier as some scholars incline to.

II. BUDDHISM

With the advent of Buddhism, the uncertainty of date vanishes. The records of Buddist India are corroborated by the historical accounts of Pliny, Strabo, Megasthenes, Herodotus, Porphyry, Fa-Hien, HuenTsang, I-Tsing and others. In order to preserve their ascendency and purity of blood, the Aryans drew a line of racial distinction between themselves and the Dravidians; no Dravidian was allowed to intermarry with the Aryan. This was the beginning of the caste system. And for the well-regulated ordering of society the Aryans divided their own community into three distinct groups; the Brahmans or priests, the Kshatriyas or administrators-soldiers and Vaishyas or merchants. Originally these groups were not hereditary and intermarriages were permissible, the study of the Vedas having been enjoined upon them all. But by the 6th century B. C. these groups became inelastic and hereditary, the Brahman hierarchy imposing its will upon the community in the most tyrannical manner. Asceticism had come to be looked upon as a virtue of the highest type and a program of physical austerities had been worked out. Speculation on the hereafter had become so engrossing that the practical humanities were neglected. Against these degenerate elements of the otherwise lofty Hindu religion, Buddha voiced his emphatic protest.

Asceticism he repudiated as being inimical to the health and vigor of mind and body. He denounced the caste system as being undemocratic and degrading. Instead of indulging in speculation on the hereafter, he preached that man had better attend to the "Four noble truths":

"First. The noble truth about suffering. Birth is painful, disease is painful, death is painful, contact with the unpleasant is painful and painful is separation from the pleasant.

"Second. The noble truth about the cause of suffering. Verily it is this thirst or craving, causing the renewal of existence, the craving for the gratification of the passions, or the craving for a future life, or for success in this life.

"Third. The noble truth of the cessation of suffering. Verily it is the quenching of this very thirst, the laying aside of the thirst.

"Fourth. The noble truth concerning the path that leads to the cessation of suffering. Verily it is the noble eight-fold path, viz:

"1. Right views; free from superstition or delusion.

"2. Right aims: high and worthy of an intelligent,

earnest man.

"3. Right speech: kindly, open, truthful.

"4. Right conduct: peaceful, honest, pure.

"5. Right livelihood: bringing hurt or danger to no living thing.

"6. Right effort: in self-training or self-control. "7. Right mindfulness: the active, watchful mind. "8. Right contemplation: earnest thought on the deep mysteries of life."

The Apostle of the blessed calm of Nirvana, the bliss begotten of release from futile desires, Gautama the "Enlightened One," brought to his people and the world a message which is essentially ethical, practical and humanitarian. The Buddist Decalogue further emphasizes this lesson.

"1. Ye shall slay no living thing.

"2. Ye shall not take that which is not given. "3. Ye shall not act wrongfully touching the bodily desires.

"4. Ye shall drink no maddening drink.

"5. Ye shall speak no lie.

"6. Accept no gold or silver.

"7. Shun luxurious bed.

"8. Abstain from late meals.

"9. Avoid public amusements.

"10. Abstain from expensive dress."

Of these the first five are binding alike on the laity and the clergy, whereas the last five are binding on the clergy alone who have consecrated their lives to the propagation of the Truth of the Buddha.*

"My doctrine," says Buddha, "makes no distinction between high and low, rich and poor, it is like the sky, it has room for all and like water it washes all alike. To him in whom love dwells the whole world is but one family. Hatred is never overcome by hatred, this is an ancient rule. The Greatest victor is he who conquers himself. Overcome evil with good and lying with truth.

To his disciples, the Blessed One says, "Go ye forth, O brethren, and wander over the world, for the sake of the many, for the welfare of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good and the weal and the gain of gods and men. Proclaim the teaching lovely in its origin, lovely in its progress, lovely in its consummation, both in the spirit and in the letter. Set forth the higher life in all its fullness and in all its purity.

*Synchronous with Buddhism arose another great religion which also pinned its faith in Ahimsa (non-violence in its negative aspect and love in its positive form). Just as Gautama gave up his royal rank in quest of truth, so also did Mahavira give up his nobleman's rank and joined the ascetic order of Parsvanath. Being dissatisfied with it, he started a religion of his own, known as Jainism. The Jains have been a very conscientious, peace-loving, magnanimous, non-violent group of people.-H. T. M.

"Be ye lamps unto yourselves, betake yourselves to no external refuge. Hold fast to the truth as a lamp, hold fast as a refuge to the truth. Whosoever shall be a lamp unto themselves, looking not for refuge to anyone besides themselves, it is they who shall reach the topmost height.

"Behold, now, I exhort you, brethren: work out your own salvation with diligence."

Inspired by the lofty teachings of Buddha, the Bhikshus or Buddhist monks wandered over the different parts of the world, from Ceylon to Siberia, from China to Egypt; and preached the sublime ethics of renunciation of worldly desires, universal brotherhood, peace on earth and good-will among men in places such as Alexandria, Syria and Palestine long before the advent of the Nazarene. Besides imparting civilization to far-off parts of the world, Buddhism exercised its influence in India from 500 B. C. to 600 A. C. and produced in the person of Asoka, who reigned from 273 to 232 B. C., the "greatest emporer on record." But the Hindu priesthood had never completely lost its power and now after a thousand years they began actively to regain their ascendency once more, when another stream of thought and civilization, "unique in its character," came in contact with India. This new force was:

III. ISLAM

The first experiences of India's contact with outsiders have always been unpleasant. The Dravidians felt the whips of the Aryans. And now the Aryans felt the scorpion-stings of the Mohammedans. The position of Hindu princes like Raja Jaipal of Bhatinda, Rajyapala, the Parihara king of Kanauj, Dhanga, the ruler of Chandel kingdom and others was made greatly insecure by Amir Sabutkigin of Ghazni. That was in the last decade of the 10th century. Mohammed Sultan of Ghazni carried on the work of his predecessor and descended on India as many as seventeen