Pre-Buddhist India: A Political, Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey of Ancient India Based Mainly on the Jataka Stories c6.s5.15

c6.s5.15

And thus their life rolled on. The general milieu of Indian life in those days was, as it might have been apparent by now, to a surprising degree, the same as in modern India, in spite of the two thousand years and more that have played so much havoc with the political history of this country. One cannot but be struck by the wonderful persistency of the manners and customs of the people. To take a few examples: The old custom of saying "Long life to you (jīva)" to a person who sneezed and of replying "The same to you (paṭijīva)" is preserved.¹ The custom of patting with satisfaction on the back of the one who has done good deeds is also present in the stories.² We can even see this little belief, that the throbbing of the right eye of a woman is a symptom of some calamity to happen, strongly rooted in the minds of the people.³ Those eyes were believed to be auspicious which had five graces and three circles very pure.⁴ Even in those days the people, especially the women, were wont to cursing those who were supposed to have done some wrong to them, in some such words as these: "May thy mother, cruel priest, (the person who has wronged) feel all the bitter agony which tears my heart when I behold my precious Canda led to die; may thy wife feel all this bitter agony; may she see sons and husbands slain."⁵ It was believed to be wrong to tell the name of a saintly teacher (gurutthānīya).⁶ Worshipping the saints by prostrating oneself on the ground with five contacts,⁷ and also respecting them by thrice walking round them rightwise (padakkhiṇam) and doing the four obeisances,⁸ were common. Besides these, there were many beliefs and superstitions as we have already seen. As to general manners we see that honour and respect were always paid to the elders. We have also seen how the guest was honoured with the traditional Indian hospitality.