12-30-2008, 05:18 PM
Ashtadhyayi and Tipitaka
The enumerated or named Ganas in the Ashtadhyayi are a good measure for looking at the relative time of Panini. His geographical data may be compared to that of the Bauddha tradition, with keeping in mind the Achaemenid conquest of Gandhara and Kamboja.
I. Looking at the Janapadas of Panini
Patanjali distinguishes two types of Ganas, shreNyaadayaH paTHyante krtaadir aakrti-gaNaH (II.1.59):
a. PaTHyante or those read or recited by Panini
b. AAkrti or those which were left open by Panini (which were suggestive)
Paniniâs Ganas are organized into three groups:
I. Janapada: Kacchaadi, Bhargaadi and Sindhvaadi
II. Vishaya: AiSHukaaryaadi, Bhaurikyaadi and Raajanyaadi
III. Sangha: Daamanyaadi, Parshvaadi and Yaudheyaadi
The difference between a Janapada and Vishaya was its size. Originally a Vishaya was distinguished from Janapada with the suffix âka, for instance Raajanya was a Janapada and Raajanyaka was a Vishaya. Later on this difference disappeared due to changing sizes of the territories of Ganas, without changing its name. This started in the age of the Mahajanapadas, preceding the time of the Buddha.
Panini must have used a Gana list, but other schools may have had theirs too.
Paniniâs Janapadas as per Ashtadhyayi, IV.1.168-178
4.01.168 janapada-shabdaat kSHatriyaat=aN
4.01.169 saalveya-gaandhaaribhyaaM ca
4.01.170 dvi=aC-magadha-kalinga-suuramasaat=aN
4.01.171 vrddha=iT-kosala=ajaadaat=NyaN
4.01.172 kurunaadibhyaM=NyaH
4.01.173 saalva=avayava-pratyagratha-kalakuuTa=ashmakaat=iN
4.01.174 te tad-raajaaH
4.01.175 kambojaat=luK
4.01.176 striyaam avanti-kunti-kurubhyash=ca
4.01.177 aTash=ca
4.01.178 na praacya-bhargaadi-yaudheyaadi-hyas=a
NOTE: pratyag-ratha m. N. of a prince VP.; pl. N. of a warrior-tribe (also called ahi-cchattra; cf. praatyagrathi) PâN 4-1, 173. This points to (North) Pancala.
Total of 18 Paniniya Janapada Ganas:
1. Saalveya, 2. Gandhari, 3. Magadha, 4. Kalinga, 5. Suuramasa, 6. Kosala, 7. Ajaada, 8. Kuru I (=bharata), 9. Saalva, 10. Pratyag-ratha, 11. KalakuuTa, 12. Ashmaka, 13. Kaamboja, 14. Avanti, 15. Kunti, 16. Kuru II adi (=praacya bharata), 17. Bharga adi, 18. Yaudheya adi.
These may be divided into two groups of Janapadas:
A. Twelve monarchial (4.1.174 te tad-raajaaH)
1.Saalveya, 2.Gaandhaari, 3. Magadha, 4. Kalinga, 5. Suuramasa, 6. Kosala, 7. Kuru I (Bharata), 8. Ajaada, 9. Saalva, 10. Pratyagratha
(=Pancaala), 11. KalakuuTa, 12. Ashmaka.
NOTE: Are these the precursors of the Rajashabda Upajivin of the Arthashastra?
B. Six republican
13. Kamboja, 14. Avanti, 15. Kunti, 16. Kuru II aadi (Praacya Bharata), 17. Bharga aadi (in the east) and 18. Yaudheya aadi (in the west).
NOTE: Are these the precursors of the Vartashastra Upajivin of the Arthashastra? Note also that at IV.02.113 we have na dvi=aC-aH praacya-bharateSHu => Kuru II must be Praacya Bharata. (A branch of Kurus moved to Vatsa)
II. Comparison with Tipitaka
The Paniniya Janapada list doesnât resemble the Tipitaka list of 16 Mahajanapadas, which both were preceding Buddha. In his time, the 4 most powerful Mahajanapadas were Vatsa, Avanti, Kosala and Magadha, with 10 Vrji Sangha republics of his age: Licchavi, Sakya, Koliya, Bhagga, Moriya, Paaveyaka Malla, Kosinaaraka Malla, Bulii, Videha and Kalama. Paniniâs list rather seems to precede the pre-Bauddha Mahajanapada and Bauddha Vrji Sangha lists.
Pre-550 BCE
The Buddhist Anguttara Nikaya, at several places (A.i.213; iv. 252, 256, 260), gives a list of 16 great nations:
Kasi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji (Vrji), Malla, Cedi, Vamsa (Vatsa), Kuru, Pancala, Maccha (Matsya), Surasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara, Kamboja.
Of these, only 6 of the Mahajanapada kingdoms, Gandhara, Magadha, Kosala, Kuru, Vamsa or Pancala (Kuru II) and Assaka, and only 3 of the republics, Kamboja, Avanti and Bhagga, correspond to the AN list. Of the list of confederate Vajjis, we only meet Bhagga with Panini.
NOTE: The AN list of 16 Mahajanapadas refers to a pre-Darius period, as Gandhara is an Indian kingdom and later during Buddhaâs time it still had a sovereign king, named Pukkusadi. Note also that Yona, not mentioned as a Mahajanapada, is a Janapada or Vishaya in this time, as mentioned in the Assalayanasutta of the Majjhima Nikaya. The Yonas and Kambojas are then still Indic Arya! As they distinguish between Arya and Dasa Varna. In those Paccantima Janapadas, Brahmanas were rare, and more traders in those areas as per Pali tradition. (it was a country under influence of the Zoroastrian religion)
It is only later in Asokaâs inscription that we have Yona-ka as a diminished Raja-Vishaya!
550 BCE
The Niddesa remembers 15 of the previous Mahajanapadas: Kasi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji (Vrji), Malla, Cedi, Vamsa (Vatsa), Kuru, Pancala, Maccha (Matsya), Surasena, Assaka, Avanti and Kamboja. But it now has Yona instead of Gandhara, which was lost, and a new 17th Kalinga (CNid., p.37).
NOTE: This relates to a time when only Gandhara of the Mahajanapadas was annexed, probably by Cyrus (ca. 550 BCE). It doesnât relate to a much later time, before Alexanderâs time, when Kamboja was back as an independant Indian Janapada, because Yona must have been reduced to a Vishaya status as Yona-ka after Persian conquest, while here it is a Mahajanapada.
Yona may have profited to becoming a Mahajanapada due to the decline of Gandhara as a Persian vassal.
520 BCE
The Digha Nikaya II.200 lists 12 Mahajanapadas: Kasi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji (Vrji), Malla, Cedi, Vamsa (Vatsa), Kuru, Pancala, Maccha (Matsya) and Surasena. Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara and Kamboja are omitted.
NOTE: Possibly this relates to a time when Gandhara and Kamboja were annexed by Darius (ca. 520 BCE). Assaka and Avanti may have been annexed by Magadha.
III. Conclusion
Panini is certainly not post-Buddha, he rather precedes him. The pre-Bauddha states of Panini have yet to develop from Janapadas into Mahajanapadas. Panini names only 1 out of the 10 confederate Vajjis, which has yet to develop into more states. The AN lists Avanti, Assaka, Kamboja and Gandhara, also known to Panini. But the DN omits it, likewise the Niddesa and the Mahavastu. Buddha did know Gandhara, as its king Pukkusati visited him. Pukkusati is nowhere referred to as having a Persian overlord. Therefore both Buddha and Panini precede Darius.
The AN list of 16 Mahajanapadas refers to a pre-Darius period, as Gandhara is an Indian kingdom and later during Buddhaâs time it still had a sovereign king, named Pukkusadi. Note also that Yona, not mentioned as a Mahajanapada, but is a Janapada or Vishaya in this time, as mentioned in the Assalayanasutta of the Majjhima Nikaya. The Yonas and Kambojas are still Arya!
The Niddesa list of the 15 previous Mahajanapadas gives the rise of Yona and Kalinga as Mahajanapadas. Gandhara was lost, which points to a possible conquest by Cyrus in ca. 550 BCE. The Baluchistan desert failure must have raised the Yonaâs status as a Mahajanapada.
The Digha Nikaya list of 12 Mahajanapadas points to a date around 520 BCE when Gandhara was already lost to and then Kamboja too was annexed by Darius.
Vajji and Malla are Mahajanapadas developing into Sanghas in the time of Buddha. They may have evolved out of the Bhargaadi Janapada of Panini. [Pasenadi of Kosala, Mahali of Vajji-Licchavi and Bandhula of Malla were trained in Takkasila capital of of Gandhara. This grouping of the three points to a Vajji-Licchavi and Malla still having a Mahajanapada like status.]
Coming to the time of Buddha and Panini: at least there is an intermediate period of Mahajanapadas separating Paniniâs Janapada period from Buddhaâs Sangha/Mahajanapada period. As both Panini and Buddha precede Dariusâconquest of Gandhara (see king Pukkusadi), we may place a mature Buddha at least before 520 BCE. Before the Buddha we have the period of Mahajanapadas coming after a previous period of Janapadas. Panini must be placed before in this period of Janapadas, which took some time to develop from Janapadas into Mahajanapadas.
Coupled to this is the fact that the indigenous character of the Yavanas is further confirmed. In Paniniâs time it must have been a Vishaya, afterwards in the Mahajanapada period it remained a Vishaya, only to emerge as a Mahajanapada somewhere between 550-520 BCE when Gandhara (Kabul Valley upto Jhelam) was annexed by Cyrus and Darius. Then it became a Janapada, probably when Kamboja (NWFP) was annexed by Darius. The Achaemenids never conquered or controlled Yona janapada (Baluchistan). Around the time of Antiochus ruling over Yona janapada, it was reduced to a Vishaya status, becoming a Raja-Vishaya status under Piyadassi.
Thus, Buddha and Panini both can not be placed in the 5th century BCE, at least not after the time of Dariusâ conquest of NW India or perhaps not even before Cyrusâ conquest of Gandhara in 550 BCE. As Paniniâs geographical description doesn't match Bauddha times and logically precedes the geographical descriptions found in the Pali tradition pointing to a time preceding the Buddha, Panini may be safely placed before the 6th century BCE when Buddha was living as per relative standard Pali chronology.
Further research is needed for some finer tuning.
The enumerated or named Ganas in the Ashtadhyayi are a good measure for looking at the relative time of Panini. His geographical data may be compared to that of the Bauddha tradition, with keeping in mind the Achaemenid conquest of Gandhara and Kamboja.
I. Looking at the Janapadas of Panini
Patanjali distinguishes two types of Ganas, shreNyaadayaH paTHyante krtaadir aakrti-gaNaH (II.1.59):
a. PaTHyante or those read or recited by Panini
b. AAkrti or those which were left open by Panini (which were suggestive)
Paniniâs Ganas are organized into three groups:
I. Janapada: Kacchaadi, Bhargaadi and Sindhvaadi
II. Vishaya: AiSHukaaryaadi, Bhaurikyaadi and Raajanyaadi
III. Sangha: Daamanyaadi, Parshvaadi and Yaudheyaadi
The difference between a Janapada and Vishaya was its size. Originally a Vishaya was distinguished from Janapada with the suffix âka, for instance Raajanya was a Janapada and Raajanyaka was a Vishaya. Later on this difference disappeared due to changing sizes of the territories of Ganas, without changing its name. This started in the age of the Mahajanapadas, preceding the time of the Buddha.
Panini must have used a Gana list, but other schools may have had theirs too.
Paniniâs Janapadas as per Ashtadhyayi, IV.1.168-178
4.01.168 janapada-shabdaat kSHatriyaat=aN
4.01.169 saalveya-gaandhaaribhyaaM ca
4.01.170 dvi=aC-magadha-kalinga-suuramasaat=aN
4.01.171 vrddha=iT-kosala=ajaadaat=NyaN
4.01.172 kurunaadibhyaM=NyaH
4.01.173 saalva=avayava-pratyagratha-kalakuuTa=ashmakaat=iN
4.01.174 te tad-raajaaH
4.01.175 kambojaat=luK
4.01.176 striyaam avanti-kunti-kurubhyash=ca
4.01.177 aTash=ca
4.01.178 na praacya-bhargaadi-yaudheyaadi-hyas=a
NOTE: pratyag-ratha m. N. of a prince VP.; pl. N. of a warrior-tribe (also called ahi-cchattra; cf. praatyagrathi) PâN 4-1, 173. This points to (North) Pancala.
Total of 18 Paniniya Janapada Ganas:
1. Saalveya, 2. Gandhari, 3. Magadha, 4. Kalinga, 5. Suuramasa, 6. Kosala, 7. Ajaada, 8. Kuru I (=bharata), 9. Saalva, 10. Pratyag-ratha, 11. KalakuuTa, 12. Ashmaka, 13. Kaamboja, 14. Avanti, 15. Kunti, 16. Kuru II adi (=praacya bharata), 17. Bharga adi, 18. Yaudheya adi.
These may be divided into two groups of Janapadas:
A. Twelve monarchial (4.1.174 te tad-raajaaH)
1.Saalveya, 2.Gaandhaari, 3. Magadha, 4. Kalinga, 5. Suuramasa, 6. Kosala, 7. Kuru I (Bharata), 8. Ajaada, 9. Saalva, 10. Pratyagratha
(=Pancaala), 11. KalakuuTa, 12. Ashmaka.
NOTE: Are these the precursors of the Rajashabda Upajivin of the Arthashastra?
B. Six republican
13. Kamboja, 14. Avanti, 15. Kunti, 16. Kuru II aadi (Praacya Bharata), 17. Bharga aadi (in the east) and 18. Yaudheya aadi (in the west).
NOTE: Are these the precursors of the Vartashastra Upajivin of the Arthashastra? Note also that at IV.02.113 we have na dvi=aC-aH praacya-bharateSHu => Kuru II must be Praacya Bharata. (A branch of Kurus moved to Vatsa)
II. Comparison with Tipitaka
The Paniniya Janapada list doesnât resemble the Tipitaka list of 16 Mahajanapadas, which both were preceding Buddha. In his time, the 4 most powerful Mahajanapadas were Vatsa, Avanti, Kosala and Magadha, with 10 Vrji Sangha republics of his age: Licchavi, Sakya, Koliya, Bhagga, Moriya, Paaveyaka Malla, Kosinaaraka Malla, Bulii, Videha and Kalama. Paniniâs list rather seems to precede the pre-Bauddha Mahajanapada and Bauddha Vrji Sangha lists.
Pre-550 BCE
The Buddhist Anguttara Nikaya, at several places (A.i.213; iv. 252, 256, 260), gives a list of 16 great nations:
Kasi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji (Vrji), Malla, Cedi, Vamsa (Vatsa), Kuru, Pancala, Maccha (Matsya), Surasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara, Kamboja.
Of these, only 6 of the Mahajanapada kingdoms, Gandhara, Magadha, Kosala, Kuru, Vamsa or Pancala (Kuru II) and Assaka, and only 3 of the republics, Kamboja, Avanti and Bhagga, correspond to the AN list. Of the list of confederate Vajjis, we only meet Bhagga with Panini.
NOTE: The AN list of 16 Mahajanapadas refers to a pre-Darius period, as Gandhara is an Indian kingdom and later during Buddhaâs time it still had a sovereign king, named Pukkusadi. Note also that Yona, not mentioned as a Mahajanapada, is a Janapada or Vishaya in this time, as mentioned in the Assalayanasutta of the Majjhima Nikaya. The Yonas and Kambojas are then still Indic Arya! As they distinguish between Arya and Dasa Varna. In those Paccantima Janapadas, Brahmanas were rare, and more traders in those areas as per Pali tradition. (it was a country under influence of the Zoroastrian religion)
It is only later in Asokaâs inscription that we have Yona-ka as a diminished Raja-Vishaya!
550 BCE
The Niddesa remembers 15 of the previous Mahajanapadas: Kasi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji (Vrji), Malla, Cedi, Vamsa (Vatsa), Kuru, Pancala, Maccha (Matsya), Surasena, Assaka, Avanti and Kamboja. But it now has Yona instead of Gandhara, which was lost, and a new 17th Kalinga (CNid., p.37).
NOTE: This relates to a time when only Gandhara of the Mahajanapadas was annexed, probably by Cyrus (ca. 550 BCE). It doesnât relate to a much later time, before Alexanderâs time, when Kamboja was back as an independant Indian Janapada, because Yona must have been reduced to a Vishaya status as Yona-ka after Persian conquest, while here it is a Mahajanapada.
Yona may have profited to becoming a Mahajanapada due to the decline of Gandhara as a Persian vassal.
520 BCE
The Digha Nikaya II.200 lists 12 Mahajanapadas: Kasi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji (Vrji), Malla, Cedi, Vamsa (Vatsa), Kuru, Pancala, Maccha (Matsya) and Surasena. Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara and Kamboja are omitted.
NOTE: Possibly this relates to a time when Gandhara and Kamboja were annexed by Darius (ca. 520 BCE). Assaka and Avanti may have been annexed by Magadha.
III. Conclusion
Panini is certainly not post-Buddha, he rather precedes him. The pre-Bauddha states of Panini have yet to develop from Janapadas into Mahajanapadas. Panini names only 1 out of the 10 confederate Vajjis, which has yet to develop into more states. The AN lists Avanti, Assaka, Kamboja and Gandhara, also known to Panini. But the DN omits it, likewise the Niddesa and the Mahavastu. Buddha did know Gandhara, as its king Pukkusati visited him. Pukkusati is nowhere referred to as having a Persian overlord. Therefore both Buddha and Panini precede Darius.
The AN list of 16 Mahajanapadas refers to a pre-Darius period, as Gandhara is an Indian kingdom and later during Buddhaâs time it still had a sovereign king, named Pukkusadi. Note also that Yona, not mentioned as a Mahajanapada, but is a Janapada or Vishaya in this time, as mentioned in the Assalayanasutta of the Majjhima Nikaya. The Yonas and Kambojas are still Arya!
The Niddesa list of the 15 previous Mahajanapadas gives the rise of Yona and Kalinga as Mahajanapadas. Gandhara was lost, which points to a possible conquest by Cyrus in ca. 550 BCE. The Baluchistan desert failure must have raised the Yonaâs status as a Mahajanapada.
The Digha Nikaya list of 12 Mahajanapadas points to a date around 520 BCE when Gandhara was already lost to and then Kamboja too was annexed by Darius.
Vajji and Malla are Mahajanapadas developing into Sanghas in the time of Buddha. They may have evolved out of the Bhargaadi Janapada of Panini. [Pasenadi of Kosala, Mahali of Vajji-Licchavi and Bandhula of Malla were trained in Takkasila capital of of Gandhara. This grouping of the three points to a Vajji-Licchavi and Malla still having a Mahajanapada like status.]
Coming to the time of Buddha and Panini: at least there is an intermediate period of Mahajanapadas separating Paniniâs Janapada period from Buddhaâs Sangha/Mahajanapada period. As both Panini and Buddha precede Dariusâconquest of Gandhara (see king Pukkusadi), we may place a mature Buddha at least before 520 BCE. Before the Buddha we have the period of Mahajanapadas coming after a previous period of Janapadas. Panini must be placed before in this period of Janapadas, which took some time to develop from Janapadas into Mahajanapadas.
Coupled to this is the fact that the indigenous character of the Yavanas is further confirmed. In Paniniâs time it must have been a Vishaya, afterwards in the Mahajanapada period it remained a Vishaya, only to emerge as a Mahajanapada somewhere between 550-520 BCE when Gandhara (Kabul Valley upto Jhelam) was annexed by Cyrus and Darius. Then it became a Janapada, probably when Kamboja (NWFP) was annexed by Darius. The Achaemenids never conquered or controlled Yona janapada (Baluchistan). Around the time of Antiochus ruling over Yona janapada, it was reduced to a Vishaya status, becoming a Raja-Vishaya status under Piyadassi.
Thus, Buddha and Panini both can not be placed in the 5th century BCE, at least not after the time of Dariusâ conquest of NW India or perhaps not even before Cyrusâ conquest of Gandhara in 550 BCE. As Paniniâs geographical description doesn't match Bauddha times and logically precedes the geographical descriptions found in the Pali tradition pointing to a time preceding the Buddha, Panini may be safely placed before the 6th century BCE when Buddha was living as per relative standard Pali chronology.
Further research is needed for some finer tuning.