Mahajanapada, Maha-janapada, Mahājanapadā, Mahājanapada: 4 definitions
Introduction:
Mahajanapada means something in Buddhism, Pali, the history of ancient India. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper NamesThe books frequently mention* the sixteen Mahajanapadas or countries, which existed in the time of the Buddha. They are Kasi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji, Malla, Cetiya, Vamsa, Kuru, Pancala, Maccha, Surasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara and Kamboja.
The first fourteen are included in the Majjhimadesa, the two last being in Uttarapatha.
* E.g., A.i.213; iv. 252, 256, 260; a list of twelve is found at D.ii.200, in which the last four are omitted. The Niddesa adds the Kalingas to the sixteen and substitutes Yona for the Gandhara (CNid., p.37).
The Jaina Bhagavati sutta gives a slightly different list: Anga, Banga, Magadha, Malaya, Malava, Accha, Vaccha, Kocchaka, Padha, Ladha, Bajji, Moli, Kasi, Kosala, Avaha and Sambhuttara (PHAI. p.60).
Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).
India history and geography
Source: Ancient Buddhist Texts: Geography of Early BuddhismMahājanapada is the general name for a district of ancient India, as recorded in the Pāli Buddhist texts (detailing the geography of ancient India as it was known in to Early Buddhism).—Of the sixteen Mahājanapadas that existed in India during the days of the Buddha, as many as fourteen may be said to have been included in the Majjhimadesa.
They are:
- Kāsī,
- Kosala,
- Aṅga,
- Magadha,
- Vajji,
- Malla,
- Cetiya (Cedī),
- Vaṃsa (Vatsa),
- Kuru,
- Pañchāla,
- Maccha (Matsya),
- Sūrasena,
- Assaka
- Avanti.
Gandhāra and Kamboj, the two remaining countries, may be said to have been located in Uttarāpatha or the Northern division.
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
[Pali to Burmese]
Source: Sutta: Tipiṭaka Pāḷi-Myanmar Dictionary (တိပိဋက-ပါဠိမြန်မာ အဘိဓာန်)mahājanapada—
(Burmese text): ဇနပုဒ်ကြီး၊ တိုင်းကြီး။
(Auto-Translation): Great Jataka, great rule.
Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Maha, Janapada, Mahanta.
Full-text (+106): Vajji, Avanti, Pancala, Shurasena, Kalinga, Ashmaka, Gandhara, Vamsha, Rajagriha, Kuru, Janapada, Assaka, Molini, Sudassana, Surundhana, Brahmavaddhana, Ramma, Baranasi, Vesali, Mallarattha.
Relevant text
Search found 26 books and stories containing Mahajanapada, Maha-janapada, Mahā-janapada, Mahā-janapadā, Mahājanapadā, Mahājanapada, Mahanta-janapada; (plurals include: Mahajanapadas, janapadas, janapadās, Mahājanapadās, Mahājanapadas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Location of Kamboja < [Purana, Volume 6, Part 1 (1964)]
Kamboja-Janapada < [Purana, Volume 6, Part 1 (1964)]
The Relative Chronology of the Janapada Lists of the Puranas < [Purana, Volume 9, Part 2 (1967)]
Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh (early history) (by Prakash Narayan)
State formation < [Chapter 1 - Political Formation at the time of Buddha]
Settlement in Early Historic Ganga Plain (by Chirantani Das)
Part 1 - Cultural profile of Vārāṇasī-Sārnāth < [Chapter VIII - Vārāṇasī–Sārnāth: Inter-Settlement Relations]
Part 16 - Vārāṇasī from proto historic to historic context < [Chapter VI - Vārāṇasī: Emergence of the Urban Centre and Seat of Administration]
Part 3 - Status as the capital of the Kāśī mahājanapada < [Chapter VIII - Vārāṇasī–Sārnāth: Inter-Settlement Relations]
Historical Elements in the Matsya Purana (by Chaitali Kadia)
Ancient States in the Matsya Purāṇa < [Chapter 4 - Geographical history in the Matsya-Purāṇa]
Jain Remains of Ancient Bengal (by Shubha Majumder)
Tīrthaṅkara Mahāvīra and Jainism in Ancient Bengal < [Chapter 3 - Historical Background of Jainism in Ancient Bengal]
Impact of Vedic Culture on Society (by Kaushik Acharya)
Systems of Administration (Introduction) < [Chapter 5]
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