In the history of the Brahmans there was a
sect of philosophers called the Gymnosophists, who had the
extremest indifference to life. To them incarnation was a
positive fact, and death was simply a change of residence. One of
these philosophers, Calanus, was burned in the presence of
Alexander; and, according to Plutarch, three centuries later
another Gymnosophist named Jarmenochegra, was similarly burned
before Augustus. Since this time, according to Brierre de
Boismont, the suicides from indifference to life in this mystic
country are counted by the thousands. Penetrating Japan the same
sentiment, according to report, made it common in the earlier
history of that country to see ships on its coasts, filled with
fanatics who, by voluntary dismantling, submerged the vessels
little by little, the whole multitude sinking into the sea while
chanting praises to their idols. The same doctrines produced the
same result in China. According to Brucker it is well known that
among the 500 philosophers of the college of Confucius, there
were many who disdained to survive the loss of their books
(burned by order of the savage Emperor Chi-Koung-ti), and
throwing themselves into the sea, they disappeared under the
waves.
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