Abstract
This chapter focuses on general conviction, shared, as it seems, by Patrick Olivelle, that early Buddhism can be seen as an answer to Brahmanism. More or less, early Buddhism is widely conceived of as an ascetic, ethically rigorous reformist movement in a Brahmanic environment. Olivelle marks two ideological cornerstones of Vedic world: the supremacy of Brāhmaņa articulated in varņa system and centrality of married householder. The Āryas are clearly depicted as high-ranking, noble followers of Vedic-Brahmanic Sanskrit-Culture; ārya are distinguished by a set of ideas and a certain language. Bronkhorst did not expand implications that findings may have in regard to history of early Buddhist accounts of Brahmanism. The chapter highlights some of possible implications and thereafter returns to question of dynamics of inter-religious contacts. Keywords:Āryas; Brahmanism; Buddhist Evaluation; inter-religious contacts; Patrick Olivelle
Published Version
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