RELIGIOUS SECTS OF THE HINDUS. 279 



Hindus, as affecting the various periods of life and corresponding practices 

 of Brahmanical devotion. 



As far, therefore, as the customs or observances of the Gymnosophists 

 are described, we have no reason to conclude that any but the followers 

 of the Vedas are intended, and the only part of the account applicable to 

 any other sect is the term Germanes, or Sermanes, or Samanceans, applied to 

 one division of the Sophists or Sages. This name, as Mr. Colebrooke 

 observes, seems to bear some affinity to the Sramanas, or asceticks of the 

 Jains or Bauddhas, but we can derive no positive conclusion from a resem- 

 blance, which may possibly be rather imaginary than real, and the 

 object of which, after all, is far from being the individual property of any 

 sect, but is equally applicable to the ascetic of every religious system. 

 As distinct from the Brahmans, the Sarmanes will be equally distinct 

 from the Jains ; for the Brahmans, it is said by Porphyry, are of one race ; 

 and the Samaiueans are selected from all the tribes, and consist of persons 

 choosing to prosecute divine studies, precisely the independent Sanydsi 

 or Gosain, of modern times, few persons of which description belong to 

 the order of the Brahmans, or are united with the rest by any commu- 

 nity of origin or peculiarity of faith. 



Again, another ivord has been adduced in corroboration of the exist- 

 ence of the Jains, and it may be admitted, that this is a better proof 

 than the preceding, as the Pramnce are declared to be the opposers of the 

 Brahmans, which is no where mentioned of the Sarmanes. This expres- 

 sion is said to designate the Jains, but this is far from certain : the 

 term is probably derived from Pramdna, proof, evidence, and is especially 

 the right of the followers of the logical school, who are usually termed 

 Pramdnikas: it is applicable, however, to any sect which advocates 

 positive or occular proof in opposition to written dogmas, or belief in 

 scriptural authority, and is in that sense more correctly an epithet of the 



