Of Binaries and Beyond

The Dialectics of Buddhist–Brahmanical Relations in India

Authors

  • Uma Chakravarti Independent historian Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/rosa.v3i1.7

Keywords:

Asvaghosha, Brahmanism, the Buddha, Buddhism, caste, dialogue, Mahabharata, texts, Vajrasuci

Abstract

Despite a long tradition of tracing the relationship between Buddhism and Brahmanism there is a need to rethink the view that the two are positioned as discrete binaries, consistently oppose to each other. While there is considerable antagonism between the Buddhists and the brahmanas they were also impelled to enter into negotiations with each other, making for a rich textual dialogue between the two. This paper examines the nature of this dialogue and shows how each impacted the other.

Author Biography

  • Uma Chakravarti, Independent historian

    Uma Chakravarti taught history at Miranda House, University of Delhi and is now an independent historian.

References

Source Texts

Aggañña Sutta. 2001. Steven Collins (trans.). The Discourse on What is Primary. Delhi: Sahitya Akademi.

Dhammapada. 1977 [1881]. F. M. Müller (trans.). London: Oxford University Press; Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass (quotations from this translation are slightly modified).

Digha-nikaya. 1903, 1911, 1890. T. W. Rhys Davids and J. Estlin Carpenter (eds.). 3 vols. London:

Luzac and Company (Pali Text Society). T. W. Rhys Davids and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (trans.), The Dialogues of the Buddha. 3 vols. London: Pali Text Society, 1899, 1910, 1921.

Jatakas. 2005 [1895–1907]. E. B. Cowell (trans.). 6 vols. London: Cambridge University Press; Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass.

Majjhima Nikaya. 1976 [1954]. I. B. Horner (trans.). The Middle Length Sayings, vol. II. London: Pali Text Society.

Rg Veda. 1896. R. T. H. Griffith (trans.). The Hymns of the Rigveda Translated with a Popular Commentary. Benares: E. J. Lazarus; Varanasi: Chaukhamba Sanskrit Series, 1971.

Sutta Nipata. 1977 [1881]. V. Fausböll (trans.). Oxford: Clarendon Press; Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass (quotations from this translation are slightly modified).

Therigatha. 1948 [1909]. C. A. F. Rhys Davids (trans.). Psalms of the Sisters (Therigatha). London: Pali Text Society.

Vajrasuci. 1985. Ramayan Prasad Dwivedi (edited and translated into Hindi). The Vajrasuci of Asvaghosha. Varanasi: Chaukhamba Amarbharati Prakashan.

Secondary Sources

Ambedkar, B. R. 1957. The Buddha and his Dhamma. Bombay: Siddhartha College.

Bhattacharji, Sukumari. 1992. Buddhist Sanskrit Literature. Calcutta: The Asiatic Society.

Chakravarti, Uma. 1987. The Social Dimension of Early Buddhism. Delhi: Oxford University Press.

— 1998. Rewriting History: The Life and Times of Pandita Ramabai. Delhi: Kali For Women.

— 2002. Gendering Caste: Through a Feminist Lens. Kolkata: Stree.

Coomaraswamy, Ananda. 1956. Buddha and the Gospel of Buddhism. Bombay: Asia Publishing House.

Freiberger, Oliver. 1998. ‘The Ideal Sacrifice: Patterns of Reinterpreting Brahmin Sacrifice in Early Buddhism.’ Bulletin D’Études Indiennes 16: 39–49.

Gombach, Barbara. 2000. ‘Ancillary Stories in the Sanskrit Mahabharata.’ PhD thesis. New York: Columbia University.

Ilaiah, Kancha. 2001. God as Political Philosopher. Calcutta: Samya.

Israel, Selvanayagam. 1993. ‘Ashoka and Arjuna as Counterparts Standing on the Field of Dharma: A Historico-Hermeneutical Perspective.’ History of Religions 32 (1): 59–79.

Mukhopadhyay, Sujitkumar. 1950. The Vajrasuci of Asvaghosa. Santiniketan: Sino-Indian Cultural Association.

Nariman, J. K. 1992 [1919]. Literary History of Sanskrit Buddhism (From Winternitz, Sylvain Levi, Huber). Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. (Sample pages available at: http://books.google.com/books?id=KYowUNgHH90C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=&f=false.)

O’Hanlon, Rosalind. 1985. Caste, Conflict and Ideology. Delhi: Orient Longman. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511563379

Oldenberg, H. 1882. The Buddha: His Life, His Doctrine, His Order. London: Williams and Norgate.

Omvedt, Gail. 2003. Buddhism in India: Challenging Brahmanism and Caste. Delhi: Sage.

Radhakrishnan, S. 1956. ‘Introduction.’ In 2500 Years of Buddhism in India, by P. V. Bapat. Delhi: Publications Division (produced by the Government of India).

Sankritayan, Rahul et al. 1970. Buddhism: The Marxist Approach. New Delhi: People’s Publishing House.

Smith, Mary Caroll. 1992. The Warrior Code of India’s Sacred Song. New York: Garland Press.

Sutton, Nicholas. 1997. ‘Ashoka and Yudhisthira: A Historical Setting for the Ideological Tensions of the Mahabharata.’ Religion 29: 331–41.

Weber, M. 1960. The Religion of India. Glencoe: Free Press.

Winternitz, Maurice. 1933. A History of Indian Literature, vol. II. Calcutta: University of Calcutta.

Published

2010-05-22

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Chakravarti, U. (2010). Of Binaries and Beyond: The Dialectics of Buddhist–Brahmanical Relations in India. Religions of South Asia, 3(1), 7-23. https://doi.org/10.1558/rosa.v3i1.7