The Vajji War

Lord Buddha had an important role to play in the Magadha-Vajji war fought between Ajatashatru and the Vajji clans. Even as the Magadha army conducted raids and attacked frequently; the Vajjis stood their ground. They just couldn’t be defeated in conventional warfare. It was time for Ajatashatru to think outside the box. This war was also one of the earliest known examples of misinformation and its utility in warfare.

Depiction of Buddha | Image Source: University of Michigan - ‘Buddhas say nothing untrue.’ - Ajatashatru

It has been recorded in the Mahāparinibbānasutta, the sutta that records Buddha’s death, that chief minister Vasakkara visited Lord Buddha to pay his respect. He had come on behalf of King Ajatashatru who was at war with the Vajjis. He further informed the Buddha of Ajatashatru’s intention to defeat the Vajjis decisively. There has been a lot of debate about whether this interaction had ever actually happened or not. But later, inquiries and studies made by several major scholars of Buddhism recounted the event in detail based on textual references and sculptures in stupas across India.

“First we hear Ajātasattu announce his intentions, or hopes, to his minister Vassakāra in strong, even violent, language . . . . He then tells Vassakāra to go to the Buddha, greets him politely and then simply announces his plans, in the very same violent words, without an explicit question, indeed without any explanation of why the statement is being made. He is just to note “what the Blessed One says.” – Steven Collins, a world-renowned scholar of Buddhist Studies

As the legend goes, Vasakkara’s announcement put Lord Buddha in a dilemma. The king sought his wisdom for war, while Buddha was against violence. His disapproving attitude to violence has been well-recorded. He couldn’t let his wisdom be used to hurt other people. According to the 5th-century philosopher, Buddhaghosa, Buddha decided to impart his wisdom because he argued that even without his knowledge; the army would attack the Vajjis and a lot of lives would be lost in the violent conflict, as both kingdoms were equal in strength. However, with his advice, a violent war could be deterred and even with the impending doom, the Vajjis would have survived, “for while living they will perform merit, which is their refuge.”

In the presence of his beloved disciple Ananda, Lord Buddha attempted to keep a neutral stance. He presented an exposition on the satta aparihāniyā dhammā, the seven conditions of welfare for a state. These ranged from the simple; such as being punctual and disciplined; to the essential; like respecting elders, women and daughters; and even to the complicated; such as giving importance to spirituality by building chaityas (altars) inside the town. Even though he had taught the same in the past, Lord Buddha set an example of how a spiritual leader should deal with difficult situations diplomatically. Vasakkara was a scrupulous man. He understood what the ‘blessed one’ was trying to hint at. The unity of the Vajjis had to be targeted.

Ajatashatru discerned that the best way to do that would be to sow seeds of discontent and disunion among the republics and the Licchvikas themselves. With Pataliputra as the forward base, over the next few years, Aajatashatru’s spies were secretly deployed inside the Vajjis kingdom. These infiltrators created problems among the general population and the various clans of the Vajjis for 3 years. Meanwhile, the Magadha army continued increasing its strength and planned its attacks. Ajatashatru secured the allegiance of his half-brothers, the 10 Kalakumaras, who sent their armies into battle. Finally, when they attacked, the Magadha army faced weak and disunited resistance from the Vajjis. The first major attack was against the capital, Vaishali.

According to the Jaina traditions, the Vajji king, Chetaka, vowed not to shoot more than one arrow every day. Such was his prowess with ranged weapons that he was reported to have slain 9 Kalakumaras in 9 days. Ajatashatru was said to have fasted for 3 days while worshipping different avatars of Lord Indra. What is claimed as divine intervention were two weapons deployed by Ajatashatru. The first is referred to as the Mahasilakantaka; the weapon which killed more than 100,000 people. Even though the manner of its deployment is not known, the weapon was described as a catapult. The other weapon was a war chariot with swinging scythes and blades attached to its wheels. This was referred to as the Rathamusala.

Finally, Vaishali fell to the Magadhans and the rest of the clans of the confederacy raced to save their kingdoms. While the reason for which the war was fought is different in Jaina and Buddhist traditions, the consequences of war are the same. The Vajjis slowly faded out of the picture and Magadha attained suzerainty over the entire eastern part of the Indian subcontinent. Sources from Jaina texts mention that the war went on for 16 years, while historians claim it was fought between 484-468 B.C.E. With the downfall of Vajjis, the only other kingdom that could challenge Magadha was the mahajanapada, Avanti, on its southern border. It is said that during the Vajji war, Avantis attempted to attack Magadha from the south. However, Ajatashatru was able to repel their attacks and ruled Magadha for over 32 years and turned it into one of the most powerful kingdoms in the region.

However, no one can endure the ravages of time. The leadership eventually declined and the Magadha empire was reduced to a shadow of its former glory. In what can only be called poetic justice, just like he had committed patricide to become a king, Ajatashatru was himself murdered by his son Udayabhadra. His death is said to have occurred in the 5th century B.C.E.