The History of Indian Literature c8.46.3

c8.46.3

836), whom, following the accounts of Alexander's time, he describes as accomplished polemical dialecticians, in contradistinction to the Βραχμᾶνες, whom he represents as chiefly devoted to physiology and astronomy, appear either to be identical with the Σαρμάναι—a supposition favoured by the fact that precisely the same things are asserted of both—or else, with Lassen, they may be regarded as Prámáṇas, *i.e.*, founding their belief on *pramáṇa*, logical proof, instead of revelation. As, however, the word is not known in the writings of that period, we should in this case hardly be justified in accepting Strabo's report as true of Alexander's time, but only of a later age. Philosophical systems are not to be spoken of in connection with this period; only isolated views and speculations are to be met with in those portions of the Bráhmaṇas here concerned, viz., the so-called Upanishads (*upanishad*, a session, a lecture). Although there prevails in these a very marked tendency to systematise and subdivide, the investigations still move within a very narrow and limited range. Considerable progress towards systematising and expansion is visible in the Upanishads found in the Áraṇyakas,∗ *i.e.*, writings supplementary to the Bráhmaṇas, and specially designed for the ὑλόβιοι;