Greater Magadha: Studies in the Culture of Early India (Handbook of Oriental Studies: Section 2: India, 19)

Through a detailed analysis of the available cultural and chronological data, this book overturns traditional ideas about the cultural history of India and proposes a different picture instead. The idea of a unilinear development out of Brahmanism, in particular, is challenged. ISBN-13: 9789004157194 Table of Contents 8 Acknowledgments 12 Abbreviations 14 Introduction: The separate culture of Greater Magadha 22 PART I. CULTURAL FEATURES OF GREATER MAGADHA 32 Introduction 34 Chapter I.1. The fundamental spiritual ideology 36 Early Jainism 36 Knowledge of the self 49 The Bhagavadgita 56 Ajivikism 59 Buddhism 73 Conclusions 73 Chapter I.2. Other features 76 Funerary practices 76 Medicine 77 Kapila 82 Cyclic time 90 Chapter I.3. Conclusions to Part I 93 PART II. BRAHMANISM VIS-À-VIS REBIRTH AND KARMIC RETRIBUTION 94 Introduction 96 IIA. REBIRTH AND KARMIC RETRIBUTION HESITANTLY ACCEPTED 98 Chapter IIA.1. A Dharma Sutra 100 Vedic asceticism 100 The Apastamba Dharma Sutra 106 Confirmation in Greek sources 113 Chapter IIA.2. A portion from the Mahabharata 115 The chronological position of the Mahabharata 115 The Rajadharmaparvan 118 Chapter IIA.3. The early Upanisads 133 The first occurrences of the new doctrine 133 Rebirth and karmic retribution in relation to Vedic thought 141 The self in the early Upanisads 147 Vedic antecedents 151 IIB. REBIRTH AND KARMIC RETRIBUTION IGNORED OR REJECTED 158 Chapter IIB.1. Rebirth and karmic retribution ignored 160 Chapter IIB.2. Rebirth and karmic retribution rejected 163 Criticism of rebirth and karmic retribution in anonymous literature 163 The Carvakas 171 IIC. URBAN BRAHMINS 182 PART III. CHRONOLOGY 194 Chapter III.0. Introduction 196 Chapter III.1. Linguistic considerations 200 Chapter III.2. The Vedic texts known to the early Sanskrit grammarians 204 Panini and the Veda: introduction 204 Panini and the Veda (1) 213 Panini and the Veda (2) 220 The Rgveda at the time of Panini 225 Patanjali and the Veda 226 Conclusions 227 Chapter III.3. The Vedic texts known to the early Buddhists 228 Chapter III.4. Some indications in late-Vedic literature 240 The Yajnavalkya-Kanda 240 A reference to the early grammarians in the Upanisads? 261 Conclusion 268 Chapter III.5. Urban versus rural culture 269 The second urbanization 270 Magical thought in the Veda 276 Chapter III.6. Conclusions to Part III 279 PART IV. CONCLUSION 284 DISCWORLD MEETS ROUNDWORLD 286 PART V. APPENDICES 298 Appendix I: The antiquity of the Vedanta philosophy 300 Were the Purva- and Uttaramimamsa originally one system? 301 Purva-Mimamsasutra, Uttara-Mimamsasutra and the teacher quotations 316 Conclusions 328 Appendix II: A Carvaka in the Mahabharata 330 Appendix III: Vedic texts known to Panini 350 Appendix IV: The form of the Rgveda known to Panini 356 Appendix V: Vedic texts known to Patanjali 369 Appendix VI: Brahmins in the Buddhist canon 374 Appendix VII: Brahmanism in Gandhara and surrounding areas 378 Appendix VIII: Carvakas and the Sabarabhasya 384 References 388 Index 422 #,Publisher:,BRILL,#,Number,Of,Pages:,420,#,ISBN-10x:,9004157190 Introduction : The Separate Culture Of Greater Magadha -- Pt. I. Cultural Features Of Greater Magadha -- Ch. I.1. The Fundamental Spiritual Ideology -- Ch. I.2. Other Features -- Pt. Ii. Brahmanism Vis-a-vis Rebirth And Karmic Retribution -- Iia. Rebirth And Karmic Retribution Hesitantly Accepted -- Ch. Iia.1. A Dharma Sutra -- Ch. Iia.2. A Portion From The Mahabharata -- Ch. Iia.3. The Early Upanisads -- Iib. Rebirth And Karmic Retribution Ignored Or Rejected -- Ch. Iib.1. Rebirth And Karmic Retribution Ignored -- Ch. Iib.2. Rebirth And Karmic Retribution Rejected -- Iic. Urban Brahmins -- Pt. Iii. Chronology -- Ch. Iii.0. Introduction -- Ch. Iii.1. Linguistic Considerations -- Ch. Iii.2. The Vedic Texts Known To The Early Sanskrit Grammarians -- Ch. Iii.3. The Vedic Texts Known To The Early Buddhists -- Ch. Iii.4. Some Indications In Late-vedic Literature -- Ch. Iii.5. Urban Versus Rural Culture -- Ch. Iii.6. Conclusions To Part Iii -- Pt. Iv. Conclusion -- Discworld Meets Roundworld -- Pt. V. Appendices -- App. I. The Antiquity Of The Vedanta Philosophy -- App. Ii. Carvaka In The Mahabharata -- App. Iii. Vedic Texts Known To Panini -- App. Iv. The Form Of The Rgveda Known To Panini -- App. V. Vedic Texts Known To Patanjali -- App. Vi. Brahmins In The Buddhist Canon -- App. Vii. Brahmanism In Gandhara And Surrounding Areas -- App. Viii. Carvakas And The Sabarabhasya. By Johannes Bronkhorst. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [367]-400) And Index. Greater Magadha, roughly the eastern part of the Gangetic plain of northern India, has so far been looked upon as deeply indebted to Brahmanical culture. Religions such as Buddhism and Jainism are thought of as derived, in one way or another, from Vedic religion. This belief is defective in various respects. This book argues for the importance and independence of Greater Magadha as a cultural area until a date close to the beginning of the Common Era. In order to correct the incorrect notions, two types of questions are dealt with: questions pertaining to cultural and religious dependencies, and questions relating to chronology. As a result a modified picture arises that also has a bearing on the further development of Indian culture.