[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897) › c10.26 # The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c10.26 The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c10.26 - **Language:** English ### [c10.26](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c10.26) Moreover, we can strengthen the proposition that there fell to the ruling class an essential portion of the duty of solving the problems which agitated all minds before and in Buddha’s time by the proof—without this it would probably have only an aerial foundation—that, according to the accounts of the Jâtakas, the Khattiya of the eastern lands enjoyed a spiritual culture similar to that of the Brahmana. It is true that, in accordance with the law books even in the distinctly Brahmanical¹ lands, the three Vedas were prescribed for the king; as a matter of fact, however, this prescription, as the epics show, was purely theoretical; the knowledge of the Veda which is demanded of a prince, relates evidently to the dhanurveda, “the Veda of the bow,” archery, the science of war.¹ On the other hand, there occur various passages in the Jâtakas which leave no room for doubt that the sons of princes had to devote, like the Brâhmaṇa youths, a certain time of their life to religious studies. In the Gâmaṇicaṇḍa Jâtaka the king himself gives the prince instruction for seven years in the three Vedas and in all worldly duties (tayo vede sabbañ ca loke kattabbam. II. 297). Generally, the prince is sent to a Brâhmaṇa and is taught by him. The Vedas are not always mentioned distinctly as the subject of the studies to which the Brâhmaṇa introduces the young princes; what is said, on the contrary, most generally is that the prince learnt the sciences (sippâni II. 2) or “the science” (sippam. II. 278). Other passages make it appear probable that in this concept of sippa the three Vedas are included. Thus we read in the Dhonasâkha Jâtaka: “Princes and Brâhmaṇa youths from all parts of India learnt the science from him (\*khattiya-māṇavā ca brāhmaṇamāṇavā ca tass' eva santike sippam ugganhimsu\*. III. 158). Even the son of the King of Benares learnt the Vedas from him.” Similarly, it is said in the Thusa Jātaka: “The Bodhisatta was a world-renowned teacher in Takkasilā and instructed many princes and young Brāhmaṇas in the science (\*bahū rajakumāre ca brahmanakumāre ca sippam vācesi\*. III. 122). Even the son of the King of Benares went to him at the age of sixteen and learnt the three Vedas and all the sciences” (\*tayo vede sabbasippāni ca\*). So also in the Dummedha Jātaka, mention is made at first of the instruction of sixteen-year-old princes in general (\*soḷasavassapadesiko hutvā Takkasilāyaṃ sippaṃ ugganhitvā\*. I. 259), and then there are mentioned in detail, as subjects of study, the three Vedas and eighteen branches of knowledge¹ (\*tiṇṇaṃ vedānaṃ pāraṃ gantvā aṭṭhārasannam vijjaṭṭhānānaṃ nipphattim pāpuni\*). We shall have therefore to understand by \*mante\*,² which the Brāhmaṇa learnt in Takkasilâ and which he then, himself a world-renowned teacher, introduces to the young princes and Brâhmaṇas in Benares, very probably the Vedic hymns. - [Previous: c10.25](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c10.25) - [Next: c10.27](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c10.27) - [Up: c10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c10) ## Linked texts (1) - [Jātaka](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka.jataka.50) — Pāli --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c10.26](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c10.26) · Pramāṇa