Geography of Early Buddhism c8.20

c8.20

In a passage of the Ṛgveda (VII, 18. 7) there is a mention of the Śiva people along with the Alinas, Pakthas, Bhalānasas and Viṣānins. Early Greek writers also refer to a country in the Punjab as the territory of the Siboi. It is highly probable that the Śiva country of the Ṛgveda, the Sibi country of the Jātakas (Ummadanti Jātaka, No. 527; Vessantara Jātaka, No. 547) and the Siboi country of the Greek geographers are one and the same. Patañjali mentions a country in the north called Śiva-pura (IV, 2, 2) which is certainly identical with Sibipura mentioned in a Shorkot inscription. (Ep. Ind., 1921, p. 6.) The Śiva, Sibi or Siboi territory is, therefore, identical with the Shorkot region of the Punjab—the ancient Sivapura or Sibipur.¹