Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c14.32

c14.32

"They communicate with the kings who consult them by messengers regarding the causes of things, and who, through them, worship and supplicate the deity.

"Some of them are physicians engaged in the study of the nature of man. They effect cures rather by regulating diets than by the use of medicines. Of medicines, they attach greater value to those applied externally than to drugs. The remedies most esteemed are ointments and plasters. All others they consider to be in a great measure pernicious in their nature.

"They, too, like Brāhmans, train themselves to endurance, both by undergoing active toil, and by the endurance of pain, so that they remain for a whole day motionlesss in one fixed attitude."