The World of Courtesans c5.24

c5.24

The wide prevalence of prostitution may be seen from the use in Buddhist literature of a large number of synonyms indicating prostitutes and courtesans. Mehta has culled the following words from the *Jatakas*—*vesi*, *nariyo*, *gamaniyo*, *ganika*, *nagarashobhani*, *vannadasi* and *kumbhadasi*.