The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c18.31

c18.31

and are not enumerated among the low professions (hīnasippa) which are named as such after these in the following manner: the occupation of the basketmaker, the potter, the weaver, the cobbler, the barber (hīnaṃ nāma sippaṃ naḷakārasippaṃ kumbhakārasippaṃ pesakārasippaṃ cammakārasippaṃ nahāpitasippaṃ). This distinction between castes (jāti) and occupations (sippa) has gradually been obliterated and in modern times has been almost wholly abolished.