Age of the Nandas and Mauryas c12.s9.2

c12.s9.2

The Greek writers also give the same account of the Śramaṇas whom they call either Sarmanes or Sramnai. The most respected among them were the Hylobioi (υλοβιοs), ‘the forest-dwellers’. It has been said about them: ‘They live in woods, where they subsist on leaves of trees and wild fruits, and wear garments made from the bark of trees’ (Megasthenes, Frag. XLI, 60). They observed the vow of chastity and abstained from drinking wine. They were so much esteemed that even the kings communicated with them through messengers in order to ascertain the causes of things and to get divine favour. These forest-dwellers were the same as those included in the Vaikhānasa order.