Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c12.s3: Guild Castes
Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c12.s3
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Guild Castes
c12.s3.1
During the course of our study of the Economic life we have seen the two main trade associations, viz, the merchant union and the craft guilds.
c12.s3.2
On account of their traditional organisation they formed certain rules and customs of their own and tended to appear a distinct order in the social organisation.
c12.s3.3
Besides these organised guilds, there were the manufacturers, the wandering dancers, musicians and tramps who roamed from village to village earning their bread by exhibiting skill We read of a young acrobat who exhibited his performance in the town of Dhannaura³⁵ Visvakarman is mentioned as another acrobat of Rājagaha.³⁶ Then snake-charmers³⁷ and demonologists³⁸ are mentioned in the category of itinerant jugglers
c12.s3.4
³⁵ Uttuā Ti. 18 p 250 a.
c12.s3.5
³⁶ Pinda Nir 174 f.
c12.s3.6
³⁷ Uttarā Ti 12, p. 174
c12.s3.7
³⁸ ibid
c12.s3.8
Among other corporative unions mention may be made of Mallagana, Hastipālagana³⁹ and Sārasvatagana ⁴⁰ We are told that there was great unity among the Mallas, they disposed of the dead body of a forlorn Malla and helped the poor people of their organisation ⁴¹ Among religious corporation the organisation of the Sramanas may be mentioned Then more settled than these wandering people were the herdsmen the huntsmen, the foresters, grass-cutters and stick-gatherers
c12.s3.9
³⁹ Vya Bhā Ti 7 459
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⁴⁰ Brh. Bhā 6 6302.
c12.s3.11
⁴¹ Sūya cū p. 28, also see Malalasekara, op cit under ‘Malla’.
Linked texts (3)
- Piṇḍanijjutti — Bhadrabāhu & Bhadrabāhu II, Māhārāṣṭrī Prakrit
- Bṛhatkalpalaghubhāṣya — Saṅghadāsagaṇi Kṣamāśramaṇa, Māhārāṣṭrī Prakrit
- Uttarādhyayanaśiṣyahitā — Śāntisūri, Sanskrit