Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c14.78

c14.78

On the evidence of the *Kuṇāla Jātaka* all the members of the Koliyan assembly, like that of the Sakyan, were called *rājās* and sometimes even *mahārājās*. It may be that when the Buddha intervened in the feud which was imminent between the Koliyas and the Sakyas, and addressed them as *mahārājās*, he meant only the two chiefs of the Koliyas and the Sakyas who were then heads of their respective republics. When the Buddha arrived on the scene, all the kings (*rājāno*) greeted him, and when he started addressing them he questioned the *mahārājās*, probably implying the two chiefs. In the end, when the Buddha had settled the dispute by showing the futility of shedding precious blood, it was the *rājāno*, probably meaning the entire assembly members of both peoples, who were pleased with the compromise.³ There is no corroboratory evidence to strengthen our view, but this seems likely from a close analysis of the *Jātaka* text.