Dear Gunnar,

> Weren't they called "therapeutai" rather than
> "theraputai"? I think this is the etymological root of
> "therapy" - but not all therapists are Theravadins...

Yes, you are right -- I dropped the "e". But as I said, this is not my
theory -- in fact, I find it rather far-fetched given that the
characteristics of these people as described by Philo do not really seem to
match Budhist monks -- for one thing, they dressed in white.

Best wishes,
Stephen Hodge