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Age of the Nandas and Mauryas c12.s13.t1: Brahmanical Learning

Age of the Nandas and Mauryas c12.s13.t1

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English

Brahmanical Learning

c12.s13.t1.1

Though Buddhism gained the support of royalty and captured the hearts of sections of the people, Brahmanism continued in this period to be a great force in society. Neither the output of Brahmanical literature nor the patronage of Brahmanical scholars was impaired in any great degree. It is significant that the notices of the Greek writers of the times contain no mention of the Buddha or the popularity of his new faith, except the solitary reference of Clemens of Alexandria to philosophers who followed the precepts of Boutta¹. Even the edicts of Aśoka call upon people to honour Brahmans. The *Ārya-mañjuśrīmūlakalpa* records that Nanda was a great patron of Brahman Tārkikas, proud of their learning, to whom he gave large sums of money²; the tirade of the same text against Cāṇakya shows the extensive patronage enjoyed by Brahmanism and Brahmanic learning under Chandragupta and Bindusāra, and Kauṭilya on his part does not conceal his animosity towards Buddhism and Jainism and levies a fine of a hundred pieces on one who deceitfully brings to a dinner in honour of the gods and manes any of the śūdra ascetics of the Śākya or Ājīvaka sects¹. In fact every page of Kauṭilya’s work confirms the thoroughly Brahmanical mode of life dominating these times ; Kauṭilya speaks of the minister as one qualified in the Vedas and their six aṅgas (auxiliaries), mentions the Vedic sacraments and sacrifices, and prescribes Vedic rites and rituals to ward off every kind of evil and to procure success and prosperity to the people and the king ; he refers to free Brahmadeya lands given to Ritvigs, Ācāryas, Purohitas and Śrotriyas (II, i; III, 10) ; the work is also replete with references to tāpasas and tapovanas ; so much so that it would hardly be an exaggeration to say that, far from affecting adversely the hold of the Vedic way of life, the rise of Buddhism and Jainism had given only a fillip to Brahmanical activity in the various departments of life and literature.

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¹ McCrindle—*Ancient India as described in classical literature*, p. 67 *n.*

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² K. P. Jayaswal—*Imperial History of India*, p. 31, Sanskrit text.

Cites (2)