Tribes in Ancient India c53.133

c53.133

It seems that the Mallas were a martial race and were devoted to such manly sports as wrestling.² It is probable that the word ‘Malla’ denoting a professional wrestler was derived from the tribal name of this people. But the Mallas cultivated learning as well as physical culture. We read in one of the Buddhist texts, for example, that Bandhula, a son of a king of Kuśīnārā, went to Taxila for his education. There he studied with a great teacher, along with Pasenadi of Kośala, and Mahāli, a Licchavi prince of Vaiśālī. After completing his education he came back to this realm.³ We often find the Mallas discussing philosophical problems, as may be seen, e.g. from *Saṃyutta Nikāya*, IV, pp. 327ff.; V, pp. 228-9, 349ff.