Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c5.s1.5

c5.s1.5

The assembly for a *brahmodya* was called *brahma-saṁsad*.¹⁶ The term *vāda* came to be used subsequently with the emergence of systems of philosophy. *Milindapañho*, a Pāli text of second century BCE, uses the term *saddhi* for *vāda*. The term *brahma-sabhā* was also used for the assembly were debates or discussions on philosophical issues were organized. Rājaśekhara in the tenth chapter of his *Kāvyamīmāṁsā* directs the king to organize *brahma-sabhās* in his capital to identify and honour the best of the philosophers and scholars. A special vehicle called *brahma-ratha* was arranged for the best debaters of the *brahmodyas*. Rājaśekhara has also informed that *śāstra-parīkṣās* (examinations of the scholars through debate and discussion) used to be organized in the city of Pāṭaliputra (see Chap. 2). The kings presided over the *śāstra-sabhās* in different disciplines. In addition to these, there were institutions in later period organizing *śāstra-sabhās*. The Tripunithura court organized *vākyārtha-sabhās*. In several towns of Kerala *śāstra-sabhās* were held.¹⁷