A faith thus compounded of love, religion, and astrology has necessarily a triple aspect; and, according to the particular component kept in view, or the etymology professed, may be termed _Sabaism_, _Buddhism_, or _Phallism_. It constitutes the most primitive form of worship, and is the source from whence all the faiths of the world have been derived. Hence the corresponding features in distinct mythologies. Brahminism, for example, is an offshoot from Buddhism, owing to the apostasy of Paramon, the son of Budh-dearg; and the essential notions of Christianity, the doctrines of a virginal conception, a vicarious sacrifice, and a resurrection, have their counterparts in both these faiths. The phallic element, ignored by Christianity, maintained its place in Oriental and Irish paganism. The adjuncts of _Lingam_ worship occur in the worship of _Budh_. The pagodas of India have their counterparts in the round towers. The symbolism expressed in the sculptures of Elephanta, Ellora, and Salsette is reflected in the carvings at Clonmacnoise, Kilcullen, and Knockmoy. The Cross is universal, not distinctive; and the purposely mutilated cryptograms of the Crescent and the Serpent belong to a paganism long antecedent to the Christianity which partially effaced them. CHAPTER XVII (PP. 227-239) Researches into the distinctive character of Irish paganism show that its main element was the phallic type of _Sabaism_, the Irish language affording remarkable evidence of this fact. Many of its words and all its letters embody a twofold meaning, denoting in the first place some _passion, quality, or virtue_, and in the next its _sensible index_. For example, _Budh_ or _Fiodh_ means primarily a _lingam_, or _phallus_, and secondarily a _tree_; and this peculiarity of an esoteric meaning known only to the learned, and an esoteric one understood by the masses, it shares with Hebrew, which belongs to the same linguistic family. Of this we have an example in the scriptural allegory of “Eve and the _tree_ of knowledge,” wherein the esoteric import of “tree” is _phallus_. We thus arrive, as it were, at the fount of Buddhism. Eve may be regarded as the first Buddhist, and her son Cain, who offered the fruits of the earth to “the God of nature and of increase” (Budh), as the first priest of that order. This allegory is found repeated in different forms among the various populations of the world--in Egypt, India, Persia, and elsewhere. It gave rise to many typical commemorations in various countries, such as the “Maypole festivals” of Eastern lands, whence the custom emanated to Ireland (with the _Tuath-de-danaan_ settlers), where it is still practised. CHAPTER XVIII (PP. 240-251)