Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c9.s2.29

c9.s2.29

The comparison between the prevalence of *Vajji* at the beginning and *Licchavi* at the end of the *Sūtra* suggests that the author of the original version had a clear historical sense. He understood that the Vajjian Confederacy was in the former case intended as a political entity and in the latter case it is the individual confederates, like the Licchavis, Mallas, etc., who were intended.² This also suggests that in its earliest form the story was compiled not long after the events to which it refers took place. The Buddha calls the people in question Licchavis only after he has referred to them as *Vesālikā Licchavī*.³ This is the first time the word Licchavi occurs in the text of the *Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra* and it is qualified by *Vesālikā*. Afterwards the Buddha refers to them simply as Licchavis. This, we believe, is quite significant and further shows that while the Licchavis were especially connected with Vesālī, the term Vajji had a wider connotation.