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Greater Magadha: Studies in the Culture of Early India
Through a detailed analysis of the available cultural and chronological data, this book overturns traditional ideas about the cultural history of India and proposes a different picture instead. The idea of a unilinear development out of Brahmanism, in particular, is challenged.
436 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
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131 people want to read
About the author
Johannes Bronkhorst
33 books15 followersJohannes Bronkhorst is a Dutch Orientalist and Indologist, specializing in Buddhist studies and early Buddhism. He is emeritus professor at the University of Lausanne.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 17, 2021
a Fascinating topic touched by Johannes Bronkhorst but eventually it feels to be inadequately argued.
The core of the hypothesis is that the geographical region of Mahajanapada Magadha was home to a culture - precursor of Sramana traditions which was distinct from orthodox Vedic Brahmanism. The core argument seems to be conveyed convincingly enough but even the author tries to bolster his speculations he turns into specious and selective readings of ancient texts.
While correctly critiquing circular reasoning in traditional dating of Vedic Upanisads and early Sramana tests, the author himself indulges in circular reasoning. All this is done to prove that the idea of Karmic retribution came into Brahmanism from Sramana schools. Personally I did not find this a preposterous hypothesis, but the reasoning and arguments in the book in support of it are very tenuous.
Especially that the argument that medical origin of Ayurveda is from the region of Greater Magadha is very poorly argued. Rather some of the arguments presented can be refuted by non scholars - especially as they are based on interpolation of a line or two from Megasthenes and other texts.
The book was written in 2007 , but it can be seen in light of recent genetic findings. Genetics is not touched in the book.
The arguments of linguistics - for apparent distance between Vedic and Classical Sanskrit and Pali - or in general Early and Middle Indo Aryan languages are not expanded.
Some claims - like Carvaka as a Brahmanical response to Sramana concept of Karmic retribution is interesting enough as personally I found it well argued.
In overall - a fascinating topic but maybe this topic needs more interdisciplinary work of linguistics, archeology, genetics and liturgical studies can intersect.
The core of the hypothesis is that the geographical region of Mahajanapada Magadha was home to a culture - precursor of Sramana traditions which was distinct from orthodox Vedic Brahmanism. The core argument seems to be conveyed convincingly enough but even the author tries to bolster his speculations he turns into specious and selective readings of ancient texts.
While correctly critiquing circular reasoning in traditional dating of Vedic Upanisads and early Sramana tests, the author himself indulges in circular reasoning. All this is done to prove that the idea of Karmic retribution came into Brahmanism from Sramana schools. Personally I did not find this a preposterous hypothesis, but the reasoning and arguments in the book in support of it are very tenuous.
Especially that the argument that medical origin of Ayurveda is from the region of Greater Magadha is very poorly argued. Rather some of the arguments presented can be refuted by non scholars - especially as they are based on interpolation of a line or two from Megasthenes and other texts.
The book was written in 2007 , but it can be seen in light of recent genetic findings. Genetics is not touched in the book.
The arguments of linguistics - for apparent distance between Vedic and Classical Sanskrit and Pali - or in general Early and Middle Indo Aryan languages are not expanded.
Some claims - like Carvaka as a Brahmanical response to Sramana concept of Karmic retribution is interesting enough as personally I found it well argued.
In overall - a fascinating topic but maybe this topic needs more interdisciplinary work of linguistics, archeology, genetics and liturgical studies can intersect.
January 2, 2026
The nerve to date Brhadaranyaka Upanishad to after 150 BCE!!!!
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March 28, 2025Key takeaways:
1) There was no Hinduism in the Magadh region when Buddhism and Jainism developed.
2) At the time of Panini, Aryavart was limited to Allahabad in the south.
3) Karma and rebirth, were ingenious concepts; Hinduism took them later.
4) Upanishads were written later than Buddha.
5) Stupa was indigenous culture, hated by Hindus, even relic worshipping, but, Jainism later gave it up, and Buddhists continued the same.
6) Jainism is about, relieving oneself from Karma, hence, leading to voluntary death.
7) Ajvikism developed from Jainism, its founder was a disciple of Mahavira.
8) Jainism developed in the 8th-9th century.
9) Indigenous people used to bury their dead. Untouchables even do so now.
10) Sankhya is an indigenous philosophy, and Kapila was hated by Hindus according to Dharmshastra
11) Probably, four ashramas of Hinduism were not to be followed chronologically, but separately.
12) The mentions of caste and Hindu texts in Pali canon were added later.
13) Hindus preferred villages, that's why Upanishads are about villages, whereas, Buddhists preferred cities. Probably, due to Indus Valley Civilization.
14) Few Buddhist texts mention Greeks, thereby, relatively very new.
1) There was no Hinduism in the Magadh region when Buddhism and Jainism developed.
2) At the time of Panini, Aryavart was limited to Allahabad in the south.
3) Karma and rebirth, were ingenious concepts; Hinduism took them later.
4) Upanishads were written later than Buddha.
5) Stupa was indigenous culture, hated by Hindus, even relic worshipping, but, Jainism later gave it up, and Buddhists continued the same.
6) Jainism is about, relieving oneself from Karma, hence, leading to voluntary death.
7) Ajvikism developed from Jainism, its founder was a disciple of Mahavira.
8) Jainism developed in the 8th-9th century.
9) Indigenous people used to bury their dead. Untouchables even do so now.
10) Sankhya is an indigenous philosophy, and Kapila was hated by Hindus according to Dharmshastra
11) Probably, four ashramas of Hinduism were not to be followed chronologically, but separately.
12) The mentions of caste and Hindu texts in Pali canon were added later.
13) Hindus preferred villages, that's why Upanishads are about villages, whereas, Buddhists preferred cities. Probably, due to Indus Valley Civilization.
14) Few Buddhist texts mention Greeks, thereby, relatively very new.
September 12, 2020
Even by going through the contents before reading the book, I was sure that I was going to enjoy reading it and I did, except some parts which I found boring and irrelevant for my research. This book is researched properly which gave factual conclusions based on the ancient texts.
September 27, 2024
not perfecf but at least he tried to rely more on evidences than fairy tales. the book was published in 2007, sooner or later we are gonna know much late sanskrit texts e.g. brahminical texts trustable. sanskrit has its history in afghan and pakistan not in India, so is with "today's" brahminism.
December 24, 2024
Interesting thesis, not very convincingly argued. More interested in textual exegesis than in history.
September 10, 2016
A fascinating read for those interested. It presents the evidence for a non-Vedic origin of doctrines of rebirth/ karmic retribution and a new chronology for the early Upanishadic texts in relation to early Buddhist and Jain writing.
April 27, 2015
I read this book since I want to read the 2nd book in these series, Buddhism in the Shadow of Brahmanism. The language in this book is quite dry compared to another book of Bronkhorst, Absorption.
September 11, 2016
great book... wow!
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April 4, 2019Magadhi, the language of Magadha, is the easternmost Aryan dialect of which we have knowledge in Vedic times. Ayurveda, the classical school of Hindu medicine, drew most of its inspiration from the culture of Greater Magadha.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews