gymnosophists
nature_spirit earth Indian single tradition · 1
Gymnosophists were Indian ascetic philosophers who practiced nakedness and rigorous self-discipline. They are cited as one of the mystic groups encountered by Apollonius during his Indian travels. Their teachings emphasized renunciation and contemplation.
When
- First attested
- 300 BCE
- Attested period
- -300 – 2020
- Historical notes
- Greek writers first mention gymnosophists in the 4th century BCE.
Relationships
Mentioned by
Sources
encyclopedia (1)
- peer reviewed
Source passages
“He travelled through Asia and visited Nineveh, Babylon and India, imbibing the oriental mysticism of magi, Brahmans and gymnosophists.”
#44327 · extracted by openai/gpt-oss-120b:free