Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c16.6

c16.6

There is no historical basis for the assumption on the part of most noted historians that the Vajjian Confederacy consisted of eight republican states. The sources give no support to this generally accepted theory, but indicate that there was no fixed number of confederates, though there was certainly a League of the Licchavis, Mallas, Videhas and Nāyas with its centre at Vesāli. There is no reason to believe in the complicated system of justice attributed to the Vesālians by Buddhaghosa, any more than there is truth in his statement that the Moriyas of Pipphalivana were an offshoot of the Sakyas. Similarly we have shown the weaknesses in the argument of some scholars that the Sakyas were monarchical and under the control of the Kosalan kings during the Buddha's lifetime.