Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c10.498

c10.498

Unlike the brāhmaṇas, the early Jain monks did not refuse food from lower class families including those of the weavers.⁷ Similarly a Buddhist monk or nun could approach families of all the four varṇas for a meal, or could eat at their houses when invited by them.⁸ But we do not know whether the lay devotees of these religions followed their teachers in this respect.