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Political Concepts in Ancient India
discourse on the science of Politics (Rājaśāstra) in the
form of instructions given to a newly consecrated
son by a King. In the Pali Milinda Panha ("The
Questions of King Menander") the King puts a
question to the monk Nagasena as to how the
Buddha could be a Brāhmaṇa and a King at the
same time. In course of a reply to this question the
monk details the characteristics of a King. We
find materials also in the Buddhacarita and the
Saundarānanda, the two celebrated Kavyas of As-
vaghosa (1st Century B.C.), as in the second canto
of both these works there is the description of
King Suddhodanas' rule.
8
The Jaina Ācārănga Sutra
The most important Jaina work deserving men-
tion in the present context is the Acarangasūtra.
(Pkt. Ayaramga-Sutta). It is the first of the 12
Angas (Sections) or canonical texts of the Svetām-
bara school, finally settled and reduced to writing
at a council at Valabhī in Kathiawar in
454 A.D. In two lengthy sections it treats of the
way of life of a monk. The second section contains
a passage, which refers to a number of different
forms of government, viz., Arajya, Ganarājya,
Yuvarajya, Dvairājya, Vairājya and Viruddharājya,
the significance of which are discussed below in the
body of the glossary.
The Earliest Authority on Politics
In the source books mentioned above, we find
only casual references to political ideas and insti-
tutions. But there are reasons to believe that from
about the 8th or 7th century B.C. certain technical
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Original from
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
discourse on the science of Politics (Rājaśāstra) in the
form of instructions given to a newly consecrated
son by a King. In the Pali Milinda Panha ("The
Questions of King Menander") the King puts a
question to the monk Nagasena as to how the
Buddha could be a Brāhmaṇa and a King at the
same time. In course of a reply to this question the
monk details the characteristics of a King. We
find materials also in the Buddhacarita and the
Saundarānanda, the two celebrated Kavyas of As-
vaghosa (1st Century B.C.), as in the second canto
of both these works there is the description of
King Suddhodanas' rule.
8
The Jaina Ācārănga Sutra
The most important Jaina work deserving men-
tion in the present context is the Acarangasūtra.
(Pkt. Ayaramga-Sutta). It is the first of the 12
Angas (Sections) or canonical texts of the Svetām-
bara school, finally settled and reduced to writing
at a council at Valabhī in Kathiawar in
454 A.D. In two lengthy sections it treats of the
way of life of a monk. The second section contains
a passage, which refers to a number of different
forms of government, viz., Arajya, Ganarājya,
Yuvarajya, Dvairājya, Vairājya and Viruddharājya,
the significance of which are discussed below in the
body of the glossary.
The Earliest Authority on Politics
In the source books mentioned above, we find
only casual references to political ideas and insti-
tutions. But there are reasons to believe that from
about the 8th or 7th century B.C. certain technical
Digitized by
Original from
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN