Public Administration in Ancient India c10.55

c10.55

² That the idea that the King was not above the law had a firm root in the minds of the people is made clear by the following story heard by Hiuen Tsiang about King Bimbisāra. In order to prevent fires in the capital, which had become rather frequent at the time, the King passed an ordinance to the effect that any person in whose house a fire should break out, would be banished to the "cold forest." One day a fire broke out in the Royal Palace. Then the King said to his Ministers: "I myself must be banished"; and he gave up the government to his eldest son and retired to the forest saying, "I wish to maintain the laws of the country. I therefore myself am going into exile." Buddhist Records, Bk. IX.