India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c11.s3.11

c11.s3.11

Early Buddhist literature distinguishes between Brāhmaṇas and Śramaṇas as distinct ascetic orders. King Alābu addresses the Bodhisattva as Samaṇa (*Jāt.*, III.40). The *Udāna* says that there were very many and various sectaries of Śramaṇas and Brāhmaṇas, all Parivrājakas, followers of different *Diṭṭhis*, *i.e.* Darśanas or Systems, and organisations (*sambahulā nānātitthiyā Samaṇa-Brāhmaṇā paribbājakā nānādiṭṭhikā nānādiṭṭhi-nissayanissitā*, P. T. S. edition, p. 66-67). The *Aṅguttara* (IV.35) mentions two classes of ascetics whom it calls Parivrājakas, *viz.* (1) Brāhmaṇa and (2) Annatitthiya, *i.e.* other non-Brahmanical ascetics. The Greek writers of Alexander's time also noticed these two classes of ascetics, the Brāhmaṇas and Śramaṇas (*Strabo*, XV.1.59, M'Crindle, 1901, p. 65, footnote). In the inscriptions of Asoka the Brāhmaṇa and the Śramaṇa ascetics are separately mentioned as worthy of equal honour.