Ksatriya Clans in Buddhist India

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This study, basically a monograph on Ksatriya clans in Buddhist India prepared by Bimala Charan Law, has already proved to be promising on the basis of his authentic work as a research scholar. The study is divided into two parts. The first -one deals with the Licchavis and the second is devoted to the Videhas, the Mallas, the Sakyas and other minor clans. As is well known, there is no systematic account available is no systematic account available in early Pall books on the political conditions of Northern India during the life time of Lord Buddha.

A picture of Buddhist society, can consequently be visualised, one a systematic account is drawn up from scattered references out of a vast historical, philosophical and socio-religious literature, alone.

This is, in fact, a comprehensive and exhaustive work on all the Ksatriya clans, which flourished during Buddhist and post-Buddhist eras.

I have read with great interest the monograph on Ksatriya clans in Buddhist India prepared by Mr. Bimala Charan Law, a distinguished graduate of our University, who has already given promise of solid work as a research student. The work is divided into two parts; the first deals with the Licchavis, the second is devoted to the Videhas, the Mallas, the Sbakyas and the minor clans. As is well-known, there is no systematic account in the early Pali books of the political conditions of Northern India during the life-time of the Buddha. A picture of society in Buddhistic times can consequently be visualised, only after a systematic account has been drawn up from scattered references in a vast historical, philosophical and socio-religious literature. From this point of view, the undertaking of Mr. Law is of special importance. He has not contented himself with an outline of the political history of those times, but has treated as well of manners and customs, of religion and philosophy, and of the judicial and administrative machinery. Mr Law does not profess to have investigated the history of all the republics actually mentioned by name in the oldest Pali records as also those discoverable from the writings of the Greeks who visited India; many of those tribes, as we know, have not yet been identified, but a fairly accurate idea may be formed of their activities, their judicial and administrative functions. We trust Mr. Law will continue his investigations and ultimately give us a complete history of all the Ksatr iya clans which flourished in Buddhistic and post-Buddhistic times.

The present treatise attempts a connected history of some of the Ksatriva clans in ancient India in the time of the Buddha, viz., the Licchavis, the Videhas the Mallas, the Shakayas, and some minor clans. This part of the history of India has up to now received very scant attention from historians. Dr Rhys Davids in his Buddhist India simply mentions these clans. The Hinaya na Buddhist literature contains a good man reference to the important clans under review, while the Mahayana Buddhist literature is very poor in this respect So far as the minor clans are concerned, the northern Buddhist literature is silent, while the southern Buddhist literature records a very meagre account of them Sanskrit literature is of no great help to us. I have consulted the Tibetan literature as well as the works of English, French and German authors. In translating the texts, I have tried to be as much literal as possible, and I have retained the translators' language in making use of the English translations.

Recently I wrote a paper on the Licchavis in ancient India which has been published in the Journal 0 the Asiatic Society of Bengal (New Series. Vol. XVII 1921.No. 3) where I tried to give a brief history of them. I am indebted to Mahamahopadhyaya Hara Prasad Shastra, C.I.E.,M.A. and Dr. D.R. Bhandarkar, M.A. Ph. D. whose sound advice and valuable suggestions readily availed of while the paper was passing through the press. I am indebted to many of my friends and Hara Prasad Sastri and Dr. O.R. Bhandarkar, whose sound advice and valuable suggestions I readily availed of while the paper was passing through the press. I am indebted to many of my friends and teachers among whom may be mentioned Dr. B.M. Barua, (London), Mr. Haran Chandra Chakladar, Mr. Bepin Vehary Gupta. Mr. Surendra Nath Muzumder Sastri, Mr. Nandalal Dey, Mr. Benode Lall Mukherjee, Mr. Hari Pada Ghosh, Pandit Kalipada Tarkacarya, Pandit Daksina Charan Bhattacarya, Mr. Balai Chand Dutt, and Mr. Balai Lall Dutt.

The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ashutosh Mukherjee has laid me under a deep debt of obligation by writing the foreword to this book.