Abstract:
Though the Pali canonical literature stands for tolerance towards the Brahmanism, pluralistic
teachings are infrequent. However, the Yassaṃdisaṃ-sutta of the Aṅguttara-Nikāya (AN)
describes five basic qualifications that a great King should possess. They are brief; well-born
on both parental sides, wealthy, powerful by fourfold army, possesses a wise chaplain and glory.
Particularly, the first qualification among them is atypical to Buddhism because it contradicts
the teachings of the Vaseṭṭha-sutta (MN), which teaches that a being does not become a Brahmin
or a pariah by birth. Nevertheless, the Yassaṃdisaṃ-sutta of the AN reveals that the King should
gain his first qualification by birth. The point to be addressed here is why this Sutta admitted
this first qualification while Buddhism heavily criticized the caste system introduced by
Brahmanas. Though the Manusmṛuti does not prescribe the all the qualities spelled out in the
the Yassamdisam-sutta in the same place, the five qualities found in the aforementioned Sutta
throughout the 7th chapter of the text can be found in the Manusmṛuti as well. In this regard,
my hypothesis is that Buddhist teachings on polity is pluralistic, like Brahmanism, since the
polity is more of a worldly practice than a spiritual practice. The Buddha may have referred to
the practicability of polity in Indian social-culture. This paper examines the reason for enclosing
pluralistic Brahmanic teachings in the Pali Sutta and the significance of the political theories
presented in the Manusmṛuti. The comparative method will be employed throughout the
research.
