BRAMINS

BRAMINS, the name of the priests among the i-
dolatrous Indians; the successors of the ancient Brach-
mans. See the title BRACHMANS.

Their name is formed from Brama, their particular
deity. They are found in Siam, Malabar, China, Co-
romandel, and most other eastern nations anywise civili-
z'd; but their chief seat is in Indostan †, or the Mo-
gull's country. They have a language peculiar to them-
selves; in which they have several ancient books, written
(as is alleged) by their great prophet Brama, and
dictated by God himself.

There are several orders of Bramins. Those who
mix in society are for the most part very corrupt in
their morals: they believe that the water of the Ganges
will wash away all their crimes; and, as they are not
subject to any civil jurisdiction, live without either re-
straint or virtue, excepting that character of compassion
and charity which is so commonly found in the mild
climate of India. The others, who live abstracted
from the world, are either weak-minded men or enthu-
siasts; and abandon themselves to laziness, superstition,
and the dreams of metaphysics. We find in their dis-
putes the very same ideas that occur in the writings of
our most celebrated metaphysicians; such as, substance,
accident, priority, posteriority, immutability, indivisibil-
ity, &c.

Their religion, which was anciently of the allegori-
cal and moral kind, hath degenerated into a heap of
extravagant and obscene superstitions, owing to their
having realized those fictions which were intended mere-
ly as so many symbols and emblems. Were it possible
to obtain a light of their sacred books, the only re-
mains there are of the Indian antiquities, we might in
some measure be enabled to remove the veil that envelops
those numerous mysteries; but the following story will
show how little reason there is to hope that we shall
ever be intrusted with such a communication.

The emperor Mahmoud Akbar had an inclination
to make himself acquainted with the principles of all
the religious sects throughout his extensive provin-
ces. Having discarded the superstitious notions with
which he had been prepossessed by his education in the
Mahometan faith, he resolved to judge for himself. It
was easy for him to be acquainted with the nature of
those systems that are formed upon the plan of making
prophets; but he found himself disappointed in his
design when he came to treat with the Indians, who
will not admit any person whatever to the participation
of their mysteries. Neither the authority nor promises
of Akbar could prevail with the Bramins to disclose
the tenets of their religion; he was therefore obliged
to have recourse to artifice. The stratagem he made
use of was to cause a boy, of the name of Feizi, to
be committed to the care of these priests, as a poor or-
phan of the sacerdotal line, who alone could be initiated
into the sacred rites of their theology. Feizi, having
received the proper instructions for the part he was to
act,

Bramin, aṣṭ, was conveyed privately to Benares, the seat of knowledge in Indoſtan; he was received into the houſe of a learned Bramin, who educated him with the ſame care as if he had been his own ſon. After the youth had ſpent ten years in ſtudy, Akbar was deſirous of recalling him; but he was ſtruck with the charms of the daughter of his preceptor. The women of the ſacerdotal tribe are looked upon as the greateſt beauties in Indoſtan. The old Bramin laid no reſtrain upon that growing paſſion of the two lovers: he was fond of Feizi, who had gained his affection by his addreſs and docility; and offered him his daughter in marriage. The young man, divided between love and gratitude, reſolved to conceal the fraud no longer; and falling at the feet of the Bramin, discovered the impoſture, and aſked pardon for his offence. The prieſt, without reproaching him in the leaſt, ſeized a poniard which hung at his girdle, and was going to plunge it in his breaſt, if Feizi had not prevented him by taking hold of his arm. The young man uſed every means to pacify him, and declared himſelf ready to do any thing to expiate his treachery. The Bramin, burſting into tears, promiſed to pardon him on condition that he ſhould ſwear never to tranſlate the Bedaſ, or ſacred volumes, or diſcloſe to any perſon whatever the ſymbol of the Bramin creed. Feizi readily promiſed all that the Bramin required: how far he kept his word is not known; but the ſacred books of the Indians have never been tranſlated by him, or any one elſe, to this day. As the Bramins are the only perſons who underſtand the language of the ſacred book, their comments on the text are the ſame as thoſe that have ever been made on religious books; all the maxims which fancy, intereſt, paſſion, or falſe zeal can ſuggeſt, are to be found in theſe volumes †.

They own a ſupreme God, who created Brama, and gave him a power to create the world. They have alſo their ſubaltern deities, their pagods or temples, and idols, whom they ſan to deſend from flies, dancing before them. They alſo hold a feaſt in honour of the ſun, conſidered as the ſource of light and heat, whereby all nature is fecundified.

Their pagods or temples conſiſt of three parts. The firſt is a vaulted roof, ſupported on ſtone columns: it lies open, and all perſons, without diſtinction, are allowed to enter into it. It is adorned with ſymbolical figures, made of wood, as elephants, oxen, and horſes. The ſecond part is open in the day-time, and ſhut at night. It is filled with grotesque and moniſtrous figures, as men with many heads and arms. The third, which is a kind of chancel, is kept always ſhut, with a very ſtrong gate. In this is placed the ſtatue of the deity, to whom the pagod is dedicated. A great number of lamps burn day and night before the idol. The Bramins, before they go into the pagod, pull off their ſhoes, and leave them at the door.