Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c12.s3.42

c12.s3.42

There is yet another very significant passage in the same text which points to the fact that the Malla heads of families constituted their assembly. When Ānanda was about to introduce the Mallians who had arrived at the scene with their families and retinue, after receiving the news of the Buddha's approaching death in their Assembly hall, he (Ānanda) thought that if he presented the Mallas of Kusinārā one by one the entire night would pass away. Therefore he decided, "Let me, now, cause the Mallas of Kusinārā to stand in groups, each family in a group, and so present them . . . saying—'Lord'! a Malla of such and such a name, with his children, his wives, his retinue and his friends, humbly bows down to the feet of the Exalted One.'"⁸