Local Government in Ancient India c9.s1.6

c9.s1.6

These coins seem to have been struck by the *negamā* inscribed clay seals issued by the Buddhist Saṅghas or monasteries have been discovered. Thus in the excavations near Kasia Dr. Vogel brought to light no less than 464 seals bearing the legend *śrī-Mahāparinirvāṇa-vihāre bhikṣusaṅghasya* with minor variations, which were used by the Convent of the Great Decease to seal their letters sent to another neighbouring monastery which has been traced in other nine seals. [See *Arch. Surv.*, *Annual Report*, 1906–7, pp. 63–7.] The names according to Prof. Bhandarkar (*Carmichael Lectures*, p. 176) are those of towns which, from their issue of coins and seals, are to be taken to be self-governing, political bodies, and not mere industrial guilds. The inscription in cave no. 18 at Nāsik refers to the gift of a village by the citizens of Nāsik and this fact, according to him, further indicates the political character of the town corporation. He further points out (as has been already set forth in the previous pages) that corporations of Naigamas are mentioned in the *Vivādaratnākara* and by Yājñavalkya, and that the *Visuddhimagga* (ch. XIV) states that some ‘Naigamas’ and ‘Gāmas’ could issue money. The *Vivādaratnākara* explains *naigama* as a town corporation (*paurāṇāṃ samūha*) but the *Smṛti-Candrikā* as *sārthiko vaṇik* i.e. a merchant.