BRA 



BRA 



be polluted if tliq- did not move to it with a firm and 

 quick ftep, and alccnd it with fortitude and nnimation. 

 Cicero, in his Tufculan (^uelHons, (1. v. ii. yS.) cxpicffts 

 his admiration of the invincible patience, not only of the 

 Indian fages, but alio of the women of tliat country, who 

 ufed to contend for the honour of dying- witii their common 

 hufband. This privilege was relerved for that wife to 

 whom the hulband was moll affedionatcly attached ; and 

 it was decided in her favour by the fentence of ptrfons ap- 

 pointed for that purpofe, who never pronounced judsjment 

 till they h<-:d made a ilriA examination, and heard the alle- 

 gations o»n all fides. The wife, who was ultimately pre- 

 ferred, ran to meet death, and afcended the funeral pile 

 with incredible firmnefs and joy ; whilll the furviving wives 

 withdrew with the moft deprtfilng regret and forrow, and 

 with their eyes bathed in tears. Some of the Brachmans, 

 however, lived in cities, and adbciated with their own fpe- 

 cies ; and fo far from confidenng fuicide, or a premature 

 furrendcr of themlelves to death, as a virtuous and brave 

 aftion, they looked upon it as a weaknefs in man not to 

 wait patiently the ilroke of death, and as a crime to antici- 

 pate the will of the GoJs. The Brachmans were all of one 

 tribe ; and in this refpeft, they differed from the Gymno- 

 fophifts, and particularly from the Samanaians, who might 

 have belonged to any family or Indian tribe. They formed 

 the firft and principal of the four calls that fubfillcd from 

 time immemorial among the Hindoos, and that were fup- 

 pofed to be derived from Brama. See Cast. 



In ancient times it fliould fcem, that the Brachmans were 

 tiot hereditary, or adldinft Levi tical tribe; but that any mem- 

 ber of the other calls might enter into this order, which was 

 ofcourfe deemed inferior to the chief fecular or military call. 

 But in latter limes the cafe has been very different ; for 

 the meanell Bramln will not now condefcend to eat with his 

 fovereign. The Brachmans from the time of their birth 

 were put under guardians ; and as they grew up, had a 

 fucceflion of inftruCtors. They were in a llate of pupillage 

 till 36 years of age ; after which they were allowed to live 

 more at large, to wear fine hnen and gold rings, to live up- 

 on the flefli of animals not employed in labour, and to marry 

 as many wives as they pleafed. Others of them fubmittcd, 

 through their whole lives, to a Ilricler dl'cipline, and paffed 

 their days upon the banks of the Ganges, with no other 

 food befides fruits, herbs, and milk. The rigours praflifed 

 by the Brachmans are almoft incredible, and would hardly 

 be believed, if they were not altelled by the bed authority, 

 and by the reports of modern travellers concerning the cru- 

 elties, penalties, and even tortures, which are commonly 

 praclifed without fcruple by the Indian Bramins. Pliny 

 relates, (N. H. 1. vii. c. 2.) that fome have flood vi-Ith their 

 eyes ftedfaftly fixed upon the fun from morning to night, 

 and that others have remained, in one and the fame painful 

 pofture, upon the burning fands, for whole days. For a 

 further account of the tenets and praflices of the ancient 

 Brachmans, fee Gvmnosoph ists and Saman^eans. 



Among thofe Brachmans, that are mentioned with parti- 

 cular refpeft by the Greek writers, who treat of the time 

 when Alexander vilited India, and particularly by Strabo, 

 (Geog. 1. XV.) are Mandanis and Calanus. The former is 

 celebrated for the boldnefs with which he cenfured the in- 

 temperance and licentioufntfs of Alexander and his army, 

 in a conference which he held with Oneficritus. The lattei-, 

 when he faw Alexander's meffengers clothed with fine linen 

 garments and elegantly adorned, laughed at their effemi- 

 nacy, and requeiled them, if they wilhed to hold any con- 

 ference with the Brachmans, to lay afide their ornaments, 

 and, like them, recline naked upon the rocks. Of him, it 

 -' Vo... V. 



is alfo related, that when he found the infirmities of agf 

 coming ujjon him, he devoted himfelf to voluntary death, 

 and atcerdmg the funeral pile, laid, " Happy h.our of de- 

 parture from life, in which, as it happened to H .rculcs, after 

 the mortal body is burned, the foul (hall go forth into light ! " 

 The modern Bramins of Hindollan derive their nainc 

 from the ancient Brachmans, and pretend to derive their 

 doftrine and pratlicc from the lame origin. In feve- 

 ral particulars, the refemblance is manifeft ; and aUh.ough 

 much inferior, both as philofophcrs and men of learning, 

 to the reputation of their anccltors, as priclls their reli- 

 gious doftrines are dill followed by the whole nation, 

 and as preceptors they are the fource of the greatell part of 

 the knowledge which exills in Hlndoftan. However, fir 

 William Jones, andfcveral other intelligent authors on that 

 fubjedl, caution us againfl confounding the ancient Brach- 

 mans with the modem Bramins. The religion of Bouddha, 

 (fee BooDH and Birmak fm/i/rr,) flill retained by the 

 Birmans and other adjacent nations, it is faid, was the real 

 ancient fyllem of Knidoftan ; but the artful Bramins have 

 introduced into it many innovations, in order to increafe 

 their own power and influence. If the conjefturcs of fir 

 William Jones, relative to the infcriptions found at Mon- 

 gueer, andon the pillar at Buddal, (A fiat. Refearches, vol, i. 

 p. 123, &c. 8vo.) be well founded, it appears that the 

 governing power on the banks of the Ganges, as late as 

 about the tmie of the birth of Chrill, belonged to the fert 

 of Bouddha. Although the Bramins had then introduced 

 themfelves into Hindoftan, and had obtained lands, and 

 even the rank of prime miniller to the great Rajah ; they had 

 not perfuaded him to change his religion, a change which, 

 when accomplifhed (fays Dr. Buchanan, Afiatic Ref. vol. vi. 

 p. 165.) proved equally detlruttive to the prince, and to 

 the people. He adds, " however idle and ridiculous the 

 legends and notions of the worfiiippers of Bouddha may be, 

 they have been in a great meafure adopted by the Brahmens,' 

 but with all their defefts monflroufly aggravated : rajahs 

 and heroes are converted into gods, and impolfibilities are 

 heaped upon improbabilities. No ufeful fclence have the 

 Brahmens dillufed among tlicir followers ; hiftory they have 

 totally abohfhed ; morality they have depreffed to the 

 utmoll ; and the dignity and power of the altar thcv have 

 ereftcd on the ruins of the llate, and the rights of the fubjcft. 

 Even the laws attributed to Menu, which, under the ior:n 

 in ufe among the Burmas, are not ill fuited for the puipofe 

 of an abfolute monarchy, under the hands of the Brahmens 

 have become the moll abominable and degrading fyfiem of 

 opprellion, ever invented by the craft of defigning men." 

 From the account which Mr. William Chambers has 

 given of the fculpture and ruins at Mavalipuram, (Afiat. 

 Ref. vol. i. p. 160, 161.) we have very good rcafon' 

 for believing, that the worlhip of Bouddha once extended 

 overall India, and that it was not rooted out by the Bramins 

 in the Decan fo late as the 9th, or even the 1 2th century of 

 the chriilian xra. Dr. Buchanan obferves, (Af. Ref. vol vi. 

 p, i'63.) that this opinion of the late introduftion of the fu- 

 pcrllition now prevailing in Hindoftan is not contradlfted by 

 the almoll fingular remain of the Hindoo hilloiy ; the only- 

 one which has efcaped the deflruttive refearch of the cunning 

 Bramin ; i. e. the hlilory of Calhmere prefentcd to the 

 fjltan Akber on his firil entrance into that kingdom. We 

 are told, (Ayeen Akbcry, ii. 17.5.) that the Sultan caufed, 

 this book to be tranflated, and of this tranflation Abul Fazil 

 has given an abridgment. This informs us, that wIku 

 Cafiimere was freed from an in\mdat!on, by which it liad 

 been covered, a certain Kufliup brought the Bramins to 

 inhabit the new land ; that, after a long tinae, a general 



A a aifembly 



