Suchergebnisse

This paper takes a literary approach to the major vamsas in the Brahmanas and Upanisads. I will demonstrate that the vamsas follow a number of structural and compositional conventions, which are employed to construct sacred histories, indicate different branches of descent, combine different lineages, and claim authoritative transmissions vis-à-vis other lineages. By treating the vamsas as a literary genre, rather than as an empirical historical record, I hope to invite a new appreciation for their form and creativity, as well as to open up new ways for reading them.

This paper will examine the portrayal of Brahmins in the Ambattha, Sonadanda, and Kutadanta Suttas. As I will argue, the Brahmin characters in these suttas emerge as complexly ambivalent figures who are depicted, simultaneously, as competitors for royal patronage and as potential benefactors. Considering Brahmin characters in this way, I hope to offer some fresh insights into the teachings of these texts and into the imagined audiences of the composers.