Kingdoms, Kings and early Republics
Kingdoms, Kings and early Republics > Ask Alfie
Hi
How Vajji sangha different from the other mahajanapadas?
Vajji, with its capital at Vaishali (Bihar), was under a different form of government, known as Gana or sangha.
Gana means a group that may members, the sangha is a term used to refer to an organisation or association. In a gana or a sangha there were not one, but many rulers. Sometimes, even when thousands of men ruled together, each one was known as a raja. The rajas performed rituals together. They also met in assemblies, and decided what had to be done and how, through discussion and debate. However, women, dasas and kammakaras could not participate in these assemblies. Both the Buddha and Mahavira belonged to ganas or sanghas. Some of the most vivid descriptions of life in the sanghas can be found in Buddhist books such as the Digha Nikaya written down about 2300 years ago. Rajas of powerful kingdoms tried to conquer the sanghas.
Gana means a group that may members, the sangha is a term used to refer to an organisation or association. In a gana or a sangha there were not one, but many rulers. Sometimes, even when thousands of men ruled together, each one was known as a raja. The rajas performed rituals together. They also met in assemblies, and decided what had to be done and how, through discussion and debate. However, women, dasas and kammakaras could not participate in these assemblies. Both the Buddha and Mahavira belonged to ganas or sanghas. Some of the most vivid descriptions of life in the sanghas can be found in Buddhist books such as the Digha Nikaya written down about 2300 years ago. Rajas of powerful kingdoms tried to conquer the sanghas.
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