Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c21.22

c21.22

**Pre-Buddhist Brahmanical Ascetic Orders.** Thus Hindu society, especially in Eastern India, was possessed of a multitude of religious sects before the rise of Buddhism. The two largest and most prominent of them were distinguished by the names of the Brahmans and Samaṇas. These are mentioned together in various early works, e.g. Megasthenes (who gives a long account of these orders), the edicts of Asoka, Vinaya [ed. Oldenberg, ii, p. 295], Dhammapada (v. 388), Suttanipāta (vv. 99, 129, 189, 440, 529, 859, 1078), Lalita Vistara (pp. 309, 318, and 320), Mahābhāshya [ii, 4, 9], etc.