the sole authority for the myth; but his affirmations in regard to other
matters have withstood the severe tests of time astonishingly well; and
since the Tai-ping rebellion destroyed King-te-chin and paralyzed its
noble industry, the value of the French missionary's documents and
testimony has become widely recognized. In lieu of any other name for
the hero of the legend, I have been obliged to retain that of Pou, or
Pu,--only using it without the affix "t'ai,"--so as to distinguish it
from the deity of comfort and repose.

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Glossary

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GLOSSARY


ABHIDHARMA.--The metaphysics of Buddhism. Buddhist literature
is classed into three great divisions, or "baskets"; the highest of
these is the Abhidharma.... According to a passage in Spence Hardy's
"Manual of Buddhism," the full comprehension of the Abhidharma is
possible only for a Buddha to acquire.