Theory of Government in Ancient India (Post-Vedic) c14.s4.17

c14.s4.17

Within each community, was naturally a distinction between novices and full-fledged monks or nuns. The latter controlled and supervised the former. Otherwise the form of government was eminently democratic. There developed a regular parliamentary procedure and jargon which, at several points, are startling in their coincidence with modern practice. It lies beyond the scope of this work to trace the practical working of these institutions but their theory may be briefly recapitulated from Buddhist records. Fortunately, the material in the Mahâvagga and the Chullavagga is abundant.¹