Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c9.t21: Other Occupations
Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c9.t21
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Other Occupations
c9.t21.1
Besides the above-mentioned people who lived by the plough, by herds, and by merchandise, there were other occupations where utilities consisted in a mere service rendered and not in actual labour Amongst them may be mentioned those who embraced learned professions, such as teachers (āyariya), physicians (tegicchaka vejja), men qualified in testing sites for house-building (vatthupādhaga), men well-versed in the science of prognostication (lakkhaṇapādhaka) and fortune-tellers (nemittaka). Amongst those who amused the public were musicians (gandhavvīa), acrobats (nada), dancers (nattaga), rope-walkers (jalla), wrestlers (malla), boxers (mutthiya), jesters (velambaya), reciters (kahaga), jumpers (pavaga), ballad-reciters (lāsaga), story-tellers (akkhaga), pole-dancers (lankha), picture-show-men (mankha), pipers (tūnailla), lute-players (tumbavīṇiya), snake charmers (bhujaga), minstrels (māgaha),²³⁹ jesters (hāsakara), buffoons (damarakara), flatterers (cātukara), love-makers (kandappakara) and mimes (kokkuya). Then there were various attendants on the king such as foot-soldiers carrying an umbrella, throne, foot-stool, pair of sandals (sapāyā), staff-carriers (latthugaha), spear-carriers (kunta), bow-carriers (cāva), chowry-carriers (camara), fetter-carriers (pāsaga), account-book-carriers (potthaya), board-carriers (phalaka), seat-carriers (piḍha), lute-carriers (vīṇā), oil pot-carriers (kuṭuva) and betel box-carriers (haḍappa).²⁴⁰
c9.t21.2
²³⁹ Ovā p .2
c9.t21.3
²⁴⁰ ibid, p. 130.