Hymnosophists ( Greek. Γυμνοσοφισταί , “ nude philosophers ”) is the Greek name for Indian philosophers- ascetics (close to yogis or sadhus ) who neglected clothing, regarding body covering as excessive care that impedes spiritual development.
Content
- 1 Meeting with Alexander the Great
- 2 Meetings with other historical figures
- 3 See also
- 4 Notes
- 5 Literature
Meeting with Alexander of Macedon
Gymnosophists are mentioned by a number of authors in the description of the meeting of Alexander the Great with Indian philosophers in Punjab .
He spoke about meeting with them in the unsaved work Onesikrit , which was retold by Strabo [1] , Plutarch [2] , Arrian [3] and Clement of Alexandria [4] .
From the surviving sources, the word is found for the first time in the Berlin papyrus 13044 (beginning of the 1st century BC) [5] , although Theophrastus already uses the close phrase “wise men of the Indians who do not wear clothes” [6] .
10 hymnosophists were captured, and Alexander asked them questions, after which the king wanted to see Dandamy, their elder. One of the hymnosophists, Kalan , Alexander persuaded to join his retinue, for some time he accompanied the army, but in Persia he burned himself at the stake.
Pliny mentions that hymnosophists watch the sun all day long, without closing their eyes [7] .
According to V.K. Shokhin, the wise men whom Alexander met are most reminiscent of the Ajiviks , one of the religious and philosophical trends of ancient India, but some features are close to the Jains and orthodox brahmans .
Diogenes of Laertes are mentioned (with reference to Ascanius Abdersky) in the narration of Pyrrho , the founder of pure skepticism . According to his description, Pyrrho was heavily influenced by hymnosophists, accompanied by his teacher Anaksarh Alexander to India and, on his return to Europe, followed their way of life [8] . However, the extent of this effect is not described in detail.
Alexander's meeting with the “nagomuds” was also known in Ancient Rus according to the translations of “Alexandria” [9] .
Meetings with other historical personalities
The late Spartan historian Aristocrat mentions that Lycurgus also spoke with hymnosophists [10] . Communion with the hymnosophists attributed to Democritus [11] . Hymnosophists are also mentioned by Philo [12] , Lucian [13] and other authors [14] .
See also
- Greek Buddhism
- Jainism
- Fakir
Notes
- ↑ Strabo. Geography XV 1, 63-65
- ↑ Plutarch. Alexander 64-65
- ↑ Arrian. The campaign of Alexander VII 2, 2-4; About India 11, 7-8
- ↑ Clement. Stromats VI 38
- ↑ The Ancient East in the ancient and early Christian tradition. / Per., Footnotes. and annotation. decree. G. A. Taronian. M., 2007. P.383
- ↑ Theophrast. Research on plants IV 4, 5
- ↑ Pliny the Elder. Natural History VII 22
- ↑ Diogen Laertes. About famous philosophers IX 61
- ↑ see. Library of literature of ancient Russia. In 20 t. T.8. St. Petersburg, 2003. P.88-95; Shokhin V. K. Ancient India in the culture of Russia. M., 1988. P.211
- ↑ Plutarch. Lycurg 4
- ↑ Diogen Laertes. On the famous philosophers IX 35 = Democritus, Fr. XVII Lurie; Hippolyte Denial of all heresies I 13, 1
- ↑ The fact that every virtuous free 74, 92-93
- ↑ Lucian. Runaway slaves 7
- ↑ Hippolyte. Denial of all heresies I 24, 1-7; Augustine. About the City of God XIV 17; Xv 20
Literature
- Shokhin V. K. Ancient India in the culture of Russia. M., 1988, especially p. 237-250
Hymnosophists
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