Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c15.s2.t2.1

c15.s2.t2.1

There is no reference to the Bulis in the *Aṅguttara*, the *Saṁyutta*, and the *Majjhima Nikāya*, or any other Buddhist text. Only in the *Dīgha Nikāya* do they receive a mere mention.⁸ Not even the elaborate and legendary *Jātakas* refer to either the Bulis or to their town. The *Dhammapadaṭṭhakathā* gives an account of the *Allakappa-raṭṭha* and a king referred to as *Allakappa-rājā*.⁹ But there seems little truth in this last account. Allakappa can hardly be the proper name of the king. Probably it was a title by which the chief ruler of the Allakappa country was called, as the king of the Videhas was referred to as Videha,¹ and that of the Koliyas was called Koliya-*rājā*.² Moreover, if the government of the Allakappa country had been monarchical, the messenger who was sent to Kusinārā to claim their share in the relics of the Buddha would have spoken as an envoy of the Bulian king with proper titles, as did the ambassador from the Magadhan king.³