Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c9.s5.129

c9.s5.129

However, both the Jaina and Buddhist accounts show that the Vesālians were at first stronger than the Magadhans. In the Jaina story, Ajātasattu decided to go to war with them only after all his negotiations had failed. According to Jaina tradition, he sent his envoy to them not less than three times.¹ In the Buddhist story the commentator says that Ajātasattu bided his time on the advice of the Buddha.² It was only through diplomacy and intrigues that the Vajjians could be overcome, and that too required a period of over a decade.