The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c15.22

c15.22

² Manu VIII. 41: “Versed in the law, he (the king) shall examine the laws of the castes and lands, the laws of guilds (śreṇi-dharma) and the laws of families and (so) fix the law for each of these (groups)—Cf. Hopkins, *Ruling Caste*, p. 81: “Such associations”—namely, trade associations and guilds—“had their own rules and regulations which were under the supervision of the king; the king could (according to the theory) neither sanction law nor himself give laws which were opposed to the recognised laws or those sanctioned by custom.”