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7
(Sila.) The Anguttara Nikāya, II, recounts the evil
consequences of a King's being unrighteous. The
Samyutta Nikāya, I, instructs as to how the King
should be guided by the sole principle of watchfulness
(appamādo). In a very important story of the
Jataka (i.e., the story No. 521), three wise birds are
giving instructions as to how a King should avoid
lying, anger and levity; should be energetic, should
protect one and all equally. One of the birds tells
about the ideal qualities of the ministers and other
officials, and a lot of duties and responsibilities
of the King, like his own personal attention in res-
pect of the royal income and expenditure. The
third bird tells about the powers or Balas of a King
and they are the power of arms (bahabala), the
power of wealth (bhogabala), the power of officials
(amaccabala), the power of high family (abhijaccabala)
and the power of wisdom (paññabala), which is the
chiefest of all. From the Digha Nikaya and the
Anguttara Nikaya we get an idea about the consti-
tution and working of the Samgha-or Gana-
Republics, as they tell us about the affairs of the
Republic of Vajjis in some detail. From the said
two Nikayas we also learn about the Buddhist con-
ception of the Cakkavatti (Skt. Cakravarti) or the
universal emperor.
Introduction
In some later works of Buddhist literature also
materials may be found for the study of ancient
Indian political ideas and institution. For ex-
ample, in the Sanskrit Mahāvastu we once again
have the theory of the origin of the Kingship and
also the concept of the King as the Mahasammata
or the choice of all. In the Suvarnaprabhasa-sūtra
of the Mahāyāna school, we find in Ch. XII, a
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Original from
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
TEXE-HIKIKIPACITY or WAITAKA
(Sila.) The Anguttara Nikāya, II, recounts the evil
consequences of a King's being unrighteous. The
Samyutta Nikāya, I, instructs as to how the King
should be guided by the sole principle of watchfulness
(appamādo). In a very important story of the
Jataka (i.e., the story No. 521), three wise birds are
giving instructions as to how a King should avoid
lying, anger and levity; should be energetic, should
protect one and all equally. One of the birds tells
about the ideal qualities of the ministers and other
officials, and a lot of duties and responsibilities
of the King, like his own personal attention in res-
pect of the royal income and expenditure. The
third bird tells about the powers or Balas of a King
and they are the power of arms (bahabala), the
power of wealth (bhogabala), the power of officials
(amaccabala), the power of high family (abhijaccabala)
and the power of wisdom (paññabala), which is the
chiefest of all. From the Digha Nikaya and the
Anguttara Nikaya we get an idea about the consti-
tution and working of the Samgha-or Gana-
Republics, as they tell us about the affairs of the
Republic of Vajjis in some detail. From the said
two Nikayas we also learn about the Buddhist con-
ception of the Cakkavatti (Skt. Cakravarti) or the
universal emperor.
Introduction
In some later works of Buddhist literature also
materials may be found for the study of ancient
Indian political ideas and institution. For ex-
ample, in the Sanskrit Mahāvastu we once again
have the theory of the origin of the Kingship and
also the concept of the King as the Mahasammata
or the choice of all. In the Suvarnaprabhasa-sūtra
of the Mahāyāna school, we find in Ch. XII, a
Digitized by
Original from
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
TEXE-HIKIKIPACITY or WAITAKA