Philosophy

An Ājīvika (“Follower of the Way of Life”; Dundas, 2002, 28) is an adherent of what has been called “a vanished Indian religion” (this is the subtitle of A.L. Basham’s classical study of this religion [1951]; note that the term “ Ājīvika ” was not exclusively used for adherents of this religion) This religion (here called Ājīvikism) arose at the time of Jainism – or rather, at the time of the most recent Jaina tīrthaṅkara (or jina ), Vardhamāna Mahāvīra – and in the same region. Its founder is known by the following names: Makkhali Gosāla (Pali.), Gosāla Maṅkhaliputta (Ardh Magadhi.), and Maskarin Gośāla (or Gośālikāputra/Gośālīputra; Skt.). (Makkhali/Maskarin is no doubt a title [staff bearer] rather than a name, designating a wandering ascetic [ parivrājaka ] by Pāṇini in Aṣṭādhyāyī 6.1.154: maskaramaskariṇau veṇuparivrājakayoḥ . The Jaina tradition presumably misunderstood this title as a name.) The religion survived for the better part of two millennia, being occasional...

Around 250 BC the Seleucid satrap of Bactria, Diodotus, established his independence and thereby founded the Graeco-Bactrian kingdom. At the beginning of the second century the Bactrian kings Demetrius  I and Menander  I Soter added northwestern India (Indo-Greeks) to their territory. The kingdom was soon split into several sub-kingdoms. There are many difficulties in reconstructing the history of the Hellenistic rulers of this eastern state and their Iranian successors. The few, brief textual sources cover only the first hundred years. Most of the rulers are known only by their coins. Not only are all dates tentative, therefore, but there is often uncertainty even over the extent of territorial control, the sequence of kings and even the number of homonymous rulers (e.g., two or three kings named ‘Demetrius’). To complicate matters, viceroys and coregents must also be taken into account. The (Middle) Indian names of the rulers are attested only on coins. In the firs...

First section of the tenth chapter of the Cullavagga in Vinaya speaks about position of women in Buddhist order.Eight special rules for nuns(garudhamma) were laid down.These were to be accepted by every woman before her entry into monastic life. The forster mother and aunt of Buddha ,Mahapajapati Gotami is the first woman to ask the buddha to permit the acceptance of women into the order in principle.Buddha does not give his consent to this request of Mahapajapati which she repeats three times. Mahapajapati Gotami evidently much grieved is not completely discouraged.She cuts her hair off, dresses in a robe and with other women of the Sakya clan follows the Buddha,who has meanwhile moved on to Vesali.There Ananda observes her piteous state and questions her,so she explains the situation to him.Ananda himself takes the matter up.He too expresses Mahajapati's wish three times to the Buddha,but in  vain.Later by skilfully steering the conversation he draws from the Buddha the admission...