Cultural Study of Nisitha Curni

SR No.: 001743
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Madhu Sen
Publisher: Sohanlal Jain Dharm Pracharak Samiti Amrutsar
Publication Year: 1975
Total Pages: 432
Language: English, Prakrit
Classification: Book_English, Agam, Canon, & Literature
File Size: 23 MB

Page 149

MATERIAL CULTURE
129 used. Yuan Chwang1 as well as I-Tsing2 informs us that milk and its products were available everywhere in India.
Sweets-Honey, sugar and various sweet-preparations were necessary items of food. Honey (madhu) was fairly used.: Three varieties of honey have been mentioned :(i) komtiya, (ii) makkhiya and (iii) bhamara.* Komtiya was honey collected from sprouts, of the mango tree, while the latter two were collected from small and big black bees. These three varieties of honey have been mentioned in other Jaina texts also, but the latter has been usually called kuttiya. According to Caraka, honey collected from small bees (maksika) was considered to be the best, while that of big black bees (bhramara) is heavy to digest. In the NC., however, honey is included in the 'contemptible articles' (aprašasta-vikyti;' along with meat and wine, and its use was interdicted to the monks in usual circumstances.
Sugarcane (ikkhu) and its products were widely used as sweetening ingredients. Juice of sugarcane was extracted through juice-extracting machine (ikkhu-janta)' and various products like guda (treacle)o, phanita (inspissated juice of sugarcane)1o, khanla (raw or unrefined sugar), sarkara (granulated or crystal sugar)11 and macchan liya (sugarcandy)1etc. were made out of it. Two varieties of guda have been mentioned : (i) chidaguda and (ii) khadahada. 18 Difference between 1. Watters, op. cit., I, p. 178; Bcal, op. cit., 1, p. 88. 2. Takakusu, op. cit., p. 44. 3. NC. 2, p. 394; NC. 3, p. 135 4. Hefu fafonifati, #frasi, #TH® 7–NC. 2, p. 238. 5. Āv. Cū. II. 39; Acärānga, II, 1. 4; Uttarā., 19. 70.: 6. Afegy garaat fagtate THT T-Carakasamhitā, 27. 342. 7. NC. 2, p. 394; NO. 3, p. 135. 8. NC. 4, p. 127. 9. NO. 2, p. 238; NG. 3, p. 422. 10. NO. 2, p. 238. 11. NC. 3, pp. 102, 295. 12. ait a À fai CSHESY-Haige-NC. 3, p. 295. 13. f1 forsit tett koirat, et grael-PETIT USEST 4—NC.2, p. 238. Cf. Bih
V!. 4, p. 970.