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Ambaṭṭha and Śvetaketu: Literary connections between the Upaniṣads and early Buddhist Narratives

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Ambaṭṭha and Śvetaketu: Literary connections between the Upaniṣads and early Buddhist Narratives. / Black, Brian.
In: Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Vol. 79, No. 1, 03.2011, p. 136-161.

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Black B. Ambaṭṭha and Śvetaketu: Literary connections between the Upaniṣads and early Buddhist Narratives. Journal of the American Academy of Religion. 2011 Mar;79(1):136-161. doi: 10.1093/jaarel/lfq058

Author

Black, Brian. / Ambaṭṭha and Śvetaketu: Literary connections between the Upaniṣads and early Buddhist Narratives. In: Journal of the American Academy of Religion. 2011 ; Vol. 79, No. 1. pp. 136-161.

Bibtex

@article{58ff5daa49ca4031ad23b39c127709ff,
title = "Ambaṭṭha and {\'S}vetaketu: Literary connections between the Upaniṣads and early Buddhist Narratives",
abstract = "This paper focuses on similarities between two literary characters: {\'S}vetaketu from the Upaniṣads and Ambaṭṭha from the Dīgha Nikāya. By comparing these two characters, as well as the characters with whom they interact, I will suggest that these literary figures from competing religious traditions appear in different presentations of the same story. Both {\'S}vetaketu and Ambaṭṭha are depicted as brahmin students who are young and arrogant as they approach the domain of a non-brahmin. In the case of {\'S}vetaketu, he is rude in his encounter with the king; whereas Ambaṭṭha is disrespectful to the Buddha. In both cases the young brahmin leaves the non-brahmin after being defeated in debate, without having learned from him an important teaching. Finally, both brahmins are replaced by their teachers, who in contrast are more refined and humble. As I will demonstrate, these similarities, along with other shared literary features between these stories, shed new light on the relationship between the Brahmanical and Buddhist narrative traditions.",
author = "Brian Black",
year = "2011",
month = mar,
doi = "10.1093/jaarel/lfq058",
language = "English",
volume = "79",
pages = "136--161",
journal = "Journal of the American Academy of Religion",
issn = "1477-4585",
publisher = "Oxford University Press",
number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ambaṭṭha and Śvetaketu: Literary connections between the Upaniṣads and early Buddhist Narratives

AU - Black, Brian

PY - 2011/3

Y1 - 2011/3

N2 - This paper focuses on similarities between two literary characters: Śvetaketu from the Upaniṣads and Ambaṭṭha from the Dīgha Nikāya. By comparing these two characters, as well as the characters with whom they interact, I will suggest that these literary figures from competing religious traditions appear in different presentations of the same story. Both Śvetaketu and Ambaṭṭha are depicted as brahmin students who are young and arrogant as they approach the domain of a non-brahmin. In the case of Śvetaketu, he is rude in his encounter with the king; whereas Ambaṭṭha is disrespectful to the Buddha. In both cases the young brahmin leaves the non-brahmin after being defeated in debate, without having learned from him an important teaching. Finally, both brahmins are replaced by their teachers, who in contrast are more refined and humble. As I will demonstrate, these similarities, along with other shared literary features between these stories, shed new light on the relationship between the Brahmanical and Buddhist narrative traditions.

AB - This paper focuses on similarities between two literary characters: Śvetaketu from the Upaniṣads and Ambaṭṭha from the Dīgha Nikāya. By comparing these two characters, as well as the characters with whom they interact, I will suggest that these literary figures from competing religious traditions appear in different presentations of the same story. Both Śvetaketu and Ambaṭṭha are depicted as brahmin students who are young and arrogant as they approach the domain of a non-brahmin. In the case of Śvetaketu, he is rude in his encounter with the king; whereas Ambaṭṭha is disrespectful to the Buddha. In both cases the young brahmin leaves the non-brahmin after being defeated in debate, without having learned from him an important teaching. Finally, both brahmins are replaced by their teachers, who in contrast are more refined and humble. As I will demonstrate, these similarities, along with other shared literary features between these stories, shed new light on the relationship between the Brahmanical and Buddhist narrative traditions.

U2 - 10.1093/jaarel/lfq058

DO - 10.1093/jaarel/lfq058

M3 - Journal article

VL - 79

SP - 136

EP - 161

JO - Journal of the American Academy of Religion

JF - Journal of the American Academy of Religion

SN - 1477-4585

IS - 1

ER -