The aged are treated with great care and tenderness, and occupy the best places in all assemblies." According to Saint-Hilaire's opinion, the Buddhist morality is one of endurance, patience, submission, and abstinence, rather than of action, energy, enterprise.

Love for all beings is its nucleus, every animal being our possible relative.

To love our enemies, to offer our lives for animals, to abstain from even defensive warfare, to govern ourselves, to avoid vices, to pay obedience to superiors, to reverence age, to provide food and shelter for men and animals, to dig wells and plant trees, to despise no religion, show no intolerance, not to persecute, are the virtues of these people.

Polygamy is tolerated, but not approved.

Monogamy is general in Ceylon, Siam, Birinah; somewhat less so in Thibet and Mongolia.