Like the ripples in the pool, they leave their initial converts to sink back again into comparative quiescence, as they advance to throw into sudden tremors hordes of outer barbarians.

In both of the great religions in question this wave propagation has been most marked, only the direction it took differed.

Christianity went westward; Buddhism travelled east.
Proselytes in Asia Minor, Greece, and Italy find counterparts in Eastern India, Burmah, and Thibet.

Eventually the taught surpassed their teachers both in zeal and numbers.

Jerusalem and Benares at last gave place to Rome and Lassa as sacerdotal centres.