[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) › c11.76 # The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c11.76 The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c11.76 - **Language:** English ### [c11.76](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c11.76) The ceremony which accompanied the accession to the throne was, according to the Jātakas, the same as that which we know from the Vedas and the epics: The priest—generally, the \*purohita\* (III. 239; IV. 40)—consecrates the king and sprinkles water upon him (\*abhisiñcati\*). Whether this custom was also observed in the eastern lands seems open to question, on account of the superiority of the ruling class and its independence of the priestly caste. For, as a matter of fact, there lies in this act of \*abhisecana\*, though originally its significance may have been only a religious one, as an act by which the blessings of the gods were showered, or more correctly expressed, invoked by magic, upon the king, a certain dependence of the king upon the priest consecrating him. The refusal of the priest to perform this \*abhisecana\* could, under certain circumstances, call in question the succession of the right heir. Instances are not wanting in our texts which prove the possibility of the refusal to consecrate. In the Gāmaṇicaṇḍa Jātaka it is narrated that the ministers, after they have performed the funeral ceremonies with great \*éclat\* and made funeral gifts, meet in the palace and tell the prince, because he is too young, that he can only be consecrated after he has satisfied their tests (kumâro atidaharo, na sakkâ rajje abhisiñcitum vîmaṃsitvâ taṃ abhisiñcâma, II. 297). Here the question is, however, only of a delay in consecration; but in another case the investiture was not at all performed. "In ancient times"—so we read in the Pâdañjali Jâtaka—"when Brahmadatta reigned in Benares, the Bodhisatta was his adviser in worldly and spiritual things (atthadhammânusâsaka amacca, II. 264). Now the king had a son named Pâdañjali who was a good-for-nothing fellow. In course of time the king died. When the funeral ceremonies were over, the ministers said that they wanted to install the prince as king. The Bodhisatta, however, said, "The prince is a fool and a good-for-nothing fellow, we will first examine him and then install him as king." The ministers held a Court, gave the prince a place in their middle and made a wrong judgment, inasmuch as they gave a thing to the wrong owner. Then they asked the prince whether they had judged rightly. He bit his lips. The Boddhisatta thought, "The prince, I think, is a clever fellow, he knows that we have judged wrongly" and recited the first verse: - [Previous: c11.75](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c11.75) - [Next: c11.77](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c11.77) - [Up: c11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c11) ## Linked texts (1) - [Jātaka](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka.jataka.378) — Pāli --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c11.76](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c11.76) · Pramāṇa