Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c9.s2.3

c9.s2.3

Buddhaghosa's interpretation is obviously fantastic, but the fact remains that these people are referred to both as Licchavis and Vajjis. Pāṇini includes Vṛjis among his *āyudhajīvī-saṅghas* or "societies of professional fighting men."² Kauṭilya includes them immediately after the Licchavis in his list of "communities living by the title of *rājās*."³ They are referred to by both names throughout the vast range of the Buddhist literature. As far as we know, nobody has investigated the relative frequency in the occurrences of these words. Although these are works of literature and not of history, an inquiry into this question would be interesting as well as historically significant. Was there some political reason for calling them Licchavis at one place and Vajjis at another, according to the context?