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JAINA SYSTEM OF EDUCATION
no detailed information about such associations from the Jaina sources at our disposal. Hentacandra makes incidental reserence to such a guild of washermen in hus Sthayıravalicaritra In the Vivagasuyam the clcscnth Anga of the Jainas rcference is made to a chief of fisher mcn-a chuch of the guild of fishermen " We learn however from Buddhist sources of such associations of merchants Mention » made thcrcın of five hundred merchants in India who had an association with Maitri as its president. The merchants freely took counsel froni this association regarding their overseas trade and occan navigation The association of merchants had various departments over which superiors were appointed by themselves I remember in years gone by-there CTC 500 merchants in Jambudwipa of whom a certain one was chicf his namc being Main (sse-che) On one occasion these merchants all asseinbled together and began to consult how thcy might best embark on some expedition for the purpose of getting gain
Then the merchants having assembled on the coast, and offered their worship to the sea god selected five men to superintend the various departments (as before) and then set saul.
We learn from Vişnu of the status of the Association something about the Guilds of merchants businessmen or artizans and other professional groups of autonomous bodies Severe punishment used to be in flicted on those treacherous members of the Association who attempted to create dissension and chaos among its members by their unlawful act. The state intervention is sanctioned by Vişnu to punish those mal-creants for the preservation of the Associauon from ruin
Those who cause dissension among the members of an association shall undergo punishment of a cspecially severe Lind because they would prove extremely dangerous like an (epidemic) disease if they were allowed to go free Wherever a criminal act opposed to the dictates of majority has been attempted, a king desirous of prosperity shall redress it. The president of the Guild according to this autho rity should spring from a noble family should be versed in the Vedas
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56 57 88 B
Hemacandra Sthavirivalıcantra, P 206 Vivagasuyam, tr by V J Chokshi and M C. Modi p 10. The Romantic Legend of Sikya Buddha, pp 344-345 The Minor Law Books p. 155 veixe no. 6,
