Gymnosophist

As gymnosophists (formed from ancient Greek γυμνός gymnós 'naked' and σοφία sophía 'wisdom': γυμνοσοφισταί 'naked manner, naked jugglers') the Greeks referred to Indian ascetics whom the Macedonian Alexander the Great had met during his campaign to India in the 320s . Onesikritos , who was specially sent by Alexander to the gymnosophists, reports on their views and ways of life because they refused to accept Alexander's invitation and Alexander found it inappropriate to go to the gymnosophists personally.

Course of the encounter

About 5 kilometers from Taxila Onesikritos met 15 gymnosophists who were naked in various postures in the blazing sun. The gymnosophist Kalanos had asked him to undress too, if he wanted to participate in the wisdom and conversations of the gymnosophists. Mandanis, the oldest on the spot, intervened and entered into a conversation with Onesikritos about his own views and the teachings of Pythagoras , Socrates and Diogenes .

Worldview and way of life

In the view of the gymnosophists, satiety and luxury were a source of evil. Before people surrendered to delusion, a paradisiacal state prevailed. There were bubbling springs full of water, milk, oil, honey and wine. However, since the blindness of people was a thorn in the side of God, he let the sources dry up and forced people to eke out their lives by hard work. As a result, virtue spread again, which again gave rise to an abundance of good things. But that is exactly what led to presumption a second time, which is why there is a risk that everything will be lost again. Accordingly, the gymnosophists practiced ascetic virtue. They propagated the liberation of the soul from pleasure and suffering. They saw the suffering of the body as an effective means of healing the suffering of the soul. Illness was considered such a disgrace to them that if necessary they preferred to burn themselves to death on a self-made pyre in stoic calm.

Social position

Obviously the gymnosophists enjoyed great prestige in ancient India. They were allowed to help themselves at market stalls for free and they had access to the houses of the rich, where they were fed. They were even allowed to enter women's apartments.

literature

Georg Luck (ed.): The wisdom of dogs. Texts of the ancient Cynics in German translation with explanations (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 484). Kröner, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-520-48401-3 .
Claire Muckensturm-Poulle: Gymnosophistes. In: Richard Goulet (ed.): Dictionnaire des philosophes antiques . Volume 3, CNRS Éditions, Paris 2000, ISBN 2-271-05748-5 , pp. 494-496
William H. Willis, Klaus Maresch: The Encounter of Alexander with the Brahmans . In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 74, 1988, pp. 59-83

Web links

Wiktionary: Gymnosophist - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Jona Lendering: Gymnosophists . In: Livius.org (English)

Remarks

↑ J. Duncan M. Derrett : Γυμνοσοφισταί. In: Konrat Ziegler , Walther Sontheimer (eds.): Der Kleine Pauly. Lexicon of antiquity. 5 volumes, Stuttgart 1964–1975; New print Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, Munich 1979, Volume 2, Sp. 892 f .; Franz Passow : Concise dictionary of the Greek language. 5th edition, revised by Valentin Chr. Fr. Rost, Friedrich Palm, Otto Kreussler, Karl Keil, Ferdinand Peter and GE Benseler. I, 1-II, 2, Leipzig 1841-1857; Reprint Darmstadt 2008 Volume II, 2, Sp 1487 (. Bouncer , United bouncer , juggler ); Henry George Liddell , Robert Scott : A Greek-English Lexicon . Clarendon Press, Oxford 1940, p. 363.
↑ For Mandanis (or Dandamis) and his role see Claire Muckensturm: Dandamis (ou Mandanis). In: Richard Goulet (ed.): Dictionnaire des philosophes antiques , Vol. 2, Paris 1994, pp. 610-612.

[1] J. Duncan M. Derrett : Γυμνοσοφισταί. In: Konrat Ziegler , Walther Sontheimer (eds.): Der Kleine Pauly. Lexicon of antiquity. 5 volumes, Stuttgart 1964–1975; New print Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, Munich 1979, Volume 2, Sp. 892 f .; Franz Passow : Concise dictionary of the Greek language. 5th edition, revised by Valentin Chr. Fr. Rost, Friedrich Palm, Otto Kreussler, Karl Keil, Ferdinand Peter and GE Benseler. I, 1-II, 2, Leipzig 1841-1857; Reprint Darmstadt 2008 Volume II, 2, Sp 1487 (. Bouncer , United bouncer , juggler ); Henry George Liddell , Robert Scott : A Greek-English Lexicon . Clarendon Press, Oxford 1940, p. 363.

[2] For Mandanis (or Dandamis) and his role see Claire Muckensturm: Dandamis (ou Mandanis). In: Richard Goulet (ed.): Dictionnaire des philosophes antiques , Vol. 2, Paris 1994, pp. 610-612.