Pre-Buddhist India: A Political, Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey of Ancient India Based Mainly on the Jataka Stories c5.t3.82

c5.t3.82

We have several references to merchants entering into partnerships, either permanent or on specified occasions only. Thus the *Kūṭavāṇija Jātaka*¹⁴ informs us that two merchants entered into partnership and took five hundred waggons of merchandise from Benares to the country-districts. Similarly we read in the *Mahāvāṇija Jātaka*¹ that a number of merchants went into a temporary partnership. Another, the *Serivāṇija Jātaka*,² also relates the story of two merchants trading in partnership. The *Guṭṭila Jātaka*³ again indicates concerted action, in work and play. Also the horse-dealers, of whom we read so frequently⁴ as coming from the North and selling their horses, apparently carried on their business jointly. It is likely that the trading in company may have been undertaken to prevent mutual under-selling or the cornering of any wares.⁵