Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh (early history)
by Prakash Narayan | 2011 | 63,517 words
This study deals with the history of Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh (Northern India) taking into account the history and philosophy of Buddhism. Since the sixth century B.C. many developments took place in these regions, in terms of society, economic life, religion and arts and crafts....
The Buddha and the Extended Kin-groups
The members of his sakya group, whether members of his order or not are addressed by their personal names by the Buddha. He addresses the members of other extended kin-groups such as the Licchavis and others in the similar way.[1]
The Buddha addresses the Mallas from Pava in groups Vaset thas[2]; the sakyas, too, on one occasion are addressed as Gotana (belonging to Gotama gotta).[3] Buddha addresses his father as Gotama.[4] And the Buddha himself is addressed as Gotama by others. The gotta name symbolizes a mark of respect and it seems to be used as a status symbol.
The members of extended kin-groups always address the Buddha as bhante[5], followed by Bhagava, and as a mark of respect they salute him (abhivadeti). The case of Dandapani sakya is an exception.[6] He greets (S.S.) the Buddha but stands at one side leaning on his stick. Dandapani, “stick in hand, shaking his head and wagging his tongue departs, leaning on his stick, his brow furrowed into three wrinkles.” By addressing Dandapani as avuso and not by his personal name, the Buddha shows his social distance from him.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Anguttara Nikaya.I.188-89, 275ff; II.200ff; III.76, 168; IV.281; V.83, 335; Digha Nikaya. II. 130-131, 279ff; III.2f, 208-9; I. 387; Samyutta Nikaya. III.69; IV.182-83; V.389, 397; Vinaya.I.82.
[2]:
Digha Nikaya, III.20.
[4]:
Vinaya, I.82 cf. Vinaya. II. 253, 255, where the Buddha addresses his mother’s sister, who had married his father, as Gotami.
[5]:
See note 42 for references.
[6]:
Majjhima Nikaya.I.108.