The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c14.65

c14.65

six Vedâṅgas (limbs of the Vedas), namely, śikshâ (phonology), kalpa (ritual), vyâkaraṇa (grammar), nirukta (word-meaning), chandas (metrics) and jyotisha (astronomical science of almanac-making); (3) The four Upâṅgas (auxiliary members), namely, the purâṇas (stories of ancient times), nyâya (logic) mīmaṃsâ (Vedic dogmatics) and the dharmaśâstras (law books). To these fourteen sciences mentioned even by Yâjñavalkya (I-3), Madhusudan adds four more Upavedas (auxiliary Vedas), namely, âyurveda (medical science), dhanurveda (military science), gandharvaveda (musical science) and arthaśastra (practical art of teaching), so that in the total, eighteen sciences arise. With these the aṭṭhârasa vijjaṭṭhânâni of our text are surely not wholly identical, because in these the three Vedas are not comprehended. Cf. Bühler, Indian Antiquary, 1894 p. 247.