Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Republican Institutions in PRE-Buddhist India and in the Buddhist Order

  • Chapter
Book cover Buddhist Backgrounds of the Burmese Revolution

  • 100 Accesses

Abstract

Elective institutions have been read into sources going back to India’s later Vedic period (the early first milennium B.C.): The Aitareya Brahmaṇa mentions “Vairâjya” rulers in northern and Svarâṭ rulers in western India, the former a system of self-government or self-rule where the plurality of people were annointed.1 This passage has been repeatedly interpreted in the sense of Vairâjya states being kingless, so that not one individual but a large group, if not the whole people, were consecrated to sovereignty.2 Svarâṭ has been interpreted to mean a ruler elected among equals through an election based upon merit, a kind of president within a self-government (Svârâjya) system.3 The existence of republican along with monarchical states, in the “Middle Country” of ancient India, is indicated in a hardly less controversial passage in the Avadâna Sataka: “... In the countries of some of us there are kings, but in others there is Gana government.”4 “Gaṇa” states have been interpreted as aristocratic, though the Mahâbhârata mentions — possibly referring to them — “persons that are equal to one another in family and blood... “ 5 The Lichchavi Gaṇa state (known from early Buddhist literature) had an assembly of 7707 members and a Council of nine.6

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Aitareya Brâhmaṇa, VIII, 14: Arthur B. Keith (Translator), The Aitareya and Kausitaki Brahmanas of the Rig veda (Harvard Oriental Series, XXV: Cambridge, USA, 1920), p. 330.

    Google Scholar 

  2. As against Keith, op. cit., p. 331, fn. 2: A. S. Altekar, State and Government in ancient India (Delhi, 1958), p. 117; K. P. Jayaswal, Hindu Polity. A constitutional history of India in Hindu times (Bangalore, 1943), p. 89.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Jayaswal, pp. 80f.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Avadâna Sataka, II, 88; cited by Altekar, p. 109 and R. Ch. Majumdar, Corporate life in ancient India (Calcutta, 1922), p. 223.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Mahâbhârata-Canti Parva, CVII: The Mahabharata translated into English prose by Pratapa Chandra Ray — Canti Parva (Calcutta, 1890), p. 348.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Altekar, p. 132.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Ibid.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Altekar, p. 115; Jayaswal, p. 174.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Mahâ-Parinibbâna-Sutta, 1,4 = Buddhist Suttas translated from the Pâli by Rhys Davids, in: M. Müller (Editor), Sacred Books of the East, Vol. XI (Oxford, 1881), pp. 31.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Telapatta-Jâtaka, Verse 399: Cowell, Jâtaka, Vol. I (1957), p. 236.

    Google Scholar 

  11. T. W. Rhys Davids, Buddhist India (London, 1917), p. 19.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Altekar, p. 122.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Jayaswal, p. 46.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Altekar, p. 124.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Dulva, V, fol. 150: The life of the Buddha and the early history of his order. Derived from Tibetan works in the Bkah-Hgyur and Bstan-Hgyur translated by W. Woodville Rockhill (London, 1907), p. 119.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Altekar, p. 122.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Rhys Davids, Buddhist India, p. 22.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Pâṇini, VIII, 1.15, cited by Altekar, p. 130.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Kulâvaka-Jâtaka: Cowell, Jâtaka, Vol. I (1895), p. 77.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Rhys Davids, Buddhist India, pp. 46f.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Ibid.t p. 48.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Ibid., p. 51.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Ibid., p. 101.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Ibid., p. 49.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Ibid., p. 62.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Ibid., pp. 2571.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Ibid., p. 247.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Arrian, VIII, Indika, 10, viii-ix: Arrian with an English translation by E. Iliff Robson, Vol. II (London, 1933), p. 335.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Diodorus, II, 39: J. W. McCrindle, Ancient India as described by Megasthenes and Arrian, being a translation of the fragments of the Indika of Megasthenes (London, 1877), p. 40.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Arrian, VIII, Indika, 10,v: transl. E. Iliff Robson, op. cit., p. 340 (341).

    Google Scholar 

  31. Diodorus, CII: Diodor’s von Sicilien, Historische Bibliothek, übersetzt von Julius Friedrich Wurm, XIII. Bändchen (Stuttgart, 1838), p. 1700 (sic.).

    Google Scholar 

  32. Elected in accordance with... his looks: Strabo, XV, i, 30: The Geography of Strabo, literally translated by C. Hamilton and W. Falconer, Vol. III (London, 1906), p. 193.

    Google Scholar 

  33. L. de la Vallée-Poussin, Dynasties et Histoire de l’Inde depuis Kanishka jusqu’aux invasions musulmans (Paris, 1935), pp. 33–34.

    Google Scholar 

  34. R. Gard, Buddhist influences on the political thought and institutions of India and Japan [Society for Oriental Studies: Claremont, California, Phoenix Papers, No. 1 (Claremont, 1949)], pp. 2,4.

    Google Scholar 

  35. D. Gokuldas, Democracy in early Buddhist Saṃgha (Calcutta, 1955), p. ix.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Ibid.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Jayaswal, pp. 42, 101.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Jayaswal, p. 100.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Altekar, p. 131.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Mahâ-Parinibbâna-Sutta, I, 4; I, 6: Buddhist Suttas translated from Pâli by Rhys Davids, in: SBE, Vol. XI, pp. 3t., 6.

    Google Scholar 

  41. R. Gard, Introduction to Buddhism and political authority, p. 5.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Gokuldas, op. cit., pp. xvii, 56.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Mahâvagga, II, xiv, 3; Chullavagga, IV, xiv, 16: Vinaya Texts translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids & Hermann Oldenberg, in: SBE, Vol. XIII (1881), p. 259; Vol. XX (1885) p. 46.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Chullavagga, IV, ix, 5; IV, xiv, 24, 26, in: SBE, Vol. XX, pp. 25, 54, 56.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Chullavagga, IV, xiv, 19, 24; XII, ii, 7, in: SBE, Vol. XX, pp. 49, 53, 407. Though majority vote in general decided the dispute, the binding force of this majority principle was not recognized in all cases: “There are ten cases, o Bhikkhus, in which the taking of votes is invalid.... When the taker of votes knows that those whose opinions are not in accordance with the Law will be in the majority..., when... voting may result in a schism in the Samgha....and when they do not vote in accordance with the view [which they really hold]”: Chullavagga, IV, 10, in: SBE, Vol. XX, pp. 26f. The texts do not explain at all how the matter was to be decided if the majority decision were rejected. Such casuistry deviating from the generally democratic principles prevalent in the Vinaya has yet to be satisfactorily explained.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Mahâvagga, II, xvii, 2, in: SBE, Vol. XIII, p. 267.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Gokuldas, op. cit., pp. xv, xvii.

    Google Scholar 

  48. H. Nakamura, The ways of thinking of Eastern Peoples (Tokyo, 1960), p. 99.

    Google Scholar 

  49. M. Bode, Pâli literature of Burma, p. 60.

    Google Scholar 

  50. R. Spence Hardy, Eastern Monachism: An account of the order of mendicants founded by Gotama Budha (London, 1850), pp. 329, 375.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Sutta Nipâta (verses 6491; 654), III, ix, 561, 61, in: SBE, Vol. X, ii (1881), pp. n6f.

    Google Scholar 

  52. Dhammapada, 396, in: SBE, Vol. X, p. 91; Aggañña Sutta, Dîgha Nikâya, XXVII, 4; 271, 30f: transl. Rhys Davids, pp. 78f., 921.

    Google Scholar 

  53. Sutta Nipâta (verses 135; 141), I, vii (Valasutta of the Uravagga), 21; 27; (verses 621, 623f, 629f, 634), III, ix (Vâsetthasutta of the Mahâvagga), 28, 30f, 36f, 41; (verse 620), III, ix, 27; I, vii (Vasalasutta), 2; (verse 611), III, ix (Vâsetthasutta of the Mahâvagga), 18, in: SBE, Vol. X, ii, pp. 23, 113f, 21, 112.

    Google Scholar 

  54. See p. 24, fn. 4.

    Google Scholar 

  55. Chullavagga, VI, xv, 2, in: SBE, Vol. XX, pp. 210f.; Nissaggiyâ Pâkittiya Dhammâ, 18–19, 22, in: SBE, Vol. XIII, pp. 18 (fn. 1), 26, 27; Maung Maung, Law, p. 126

    Google Scholar 

  56. R. Ch. Majumdar, Corporate life in ancient India (Calcutta, 1922), pp. 320f.

    Google Scholar 

  57. Gokuldas, Democracy in the early Buddhist Saṃgha, p. xix.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Freiburg University, Germany

    E. Sarkisyanz Ph.D. (apl. Professor)

Authors
  1. E. Sarkisyanz Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1965 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Sarkisyanz, E. (1965). Republican Institutions in PRE-Buddhist India and in the Buddhist Order. In: Buddhist Backgrounds of the Burmese Revolution. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-6283-0_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-6283-0_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-017-5830-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-6283-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation