On the Origin of the Indian Brahma Alphabet c5.52

c5.52

Finally there are still two remarkable passages in the Mahāvagga I, 43 and 49, which are also of considerable importance for our question.¹ The first tells us that a *likhitako coro*, a thief whose name had been placarded or proclaimed in writing in the king's palace had been received into the order of the Buddhist monks. The people murmured against this and Buddha, of course, forbade for the future the admission of proclaimed thieves. The story confirms the hints, to be gathered from the Jātakas, regarding written royal proclamations. The second passage, which is literally reproduced in Bhikkhu Pācittiya 65. 1, and hence must be very ancient, describes in detail the deliberations of the parents of a boy of Rājagṛha, called Upāli, about their son's education. They agree that it would be beneficial for his future, if he learnt *lekhā* ‘writing’, *gaṇanā* ‘arithmetic’ and *rūpa*, literally ‘forms’. But [13] they find that the first art might injure his hands, the second his chest and the third his eyes. Hence they finally resolve to permit him to enter the order of the Buddhist monks, who are of good moral conduct, dine well and sleep in well sheltered beds.