Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c9.s2.28

c9.s2.28

Altogether, the relative frequency of the term *Vajji* is greater than that of *Licchavi*. The former seems to imply more than the Licchavis alone. At the time of the Buddha's death, it was the Licchavis of Vesālī who claimed a share in his relics, not the Vajjians. This may be due to the fact that the latter had no independent existence at the time that the story took its form, as the confederacy of several republics, including the Licchavis, the Videhas, the Mallas, etc., had been destroyed by Ajātasattu. But in all the recensions and versions of the story which we have investigated it is the Vajjis whom Ajātasattu determines to annihilate, not the Licchavis.