INDIAN THINKERS AS EARLY AS THE FOURTH CENTRURY BC [ Now we are in 21st centrury AD ]

There is contemporary evidence of the presence in Athens of Indian thinkers as early as the fourth centrury BC. Eusebuis [ AD 315 ] preserves a tradition which he attributes to Aristoxenus, who was pupil of Atistotle and well - known writer on harmonics and whose date is given as 330BC, that some learned Indians visited Athens and had discussions with Socrates { Preparatio Evangelica XI 3 }:

Aristonxenus the musician tells the following story about the Indians. One of these men met Socrates at Athens and asked him what was the scope of his philosophy.

" An inquiry into human phenomenon", replied Socrates. At this the INDIAN burst out LAUGHING " How can we inquire into human phenomena", he exclaimed, " When we are ignorant of the divine ones ?