Sophist are Spiritual Seekers. The Indian Monks who were wandering in search of their quest and leading a life of Mendicents, were called by Greeks, Gymno Sophists.
Actually it is "gyaan su-paa-iST".
su - prefix for good
paa - root for "to obtain"
iST - faith, God desired, best desire (what else can be the best but the God Principle, and hence it is also used in Superlative as suffix and carried forward in English as "est" - the other is the suffix for Comparative - 'er').
This rule is also noted in the word "ish var" - the best chosen and epithet for God.
The Sanskrit for bridegroom is "var" - whom else would you choose as your partner? The best person correct? And in some traditions and metaphoric expressions, God is the best partner.
It is said, Aristole, Plato, Socrates, Pythogorus, and countless many Philopshers and Seekers visited India. It is mentioned in the book by William Durant, called, "Our Oriental Inheritage".
Have you wondered why Pythogorus Theorem is in the Vedangas? It is a well known Western Academia accepted fact that it was taken from the East.
The Urdu word "su-paa-hi" is also connected and it means "soldier" or "good catcher".
