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244
Lord Mahavira and His Times
The artisans were developing into different castes all engaged in their hereditary professions. The potters (Kumbhakāra), smiths (Kammāra), ivory-workers (Dantakāra)3, carpenters (Vaddaki),4 etc., belonged to hereditary families and had their own settlements.
There were a number of unorganised, unsettled, and wandering castes, who earned their livelihood by entertaining the people. There were the dancers and singers (Nata)5, acrobats (Langhanațaka), tumblers, jugglers (Mayakāra),8 snakecharmers (Āhitundika),9 mongoosetamers (Koņdadamaka),10 musicians (Gandhabba),11 drummers (Bheri Vadaka),12 conchblowers (Sankhadhamaka)13 and so on. Expressions such as Bherivadakakula,14 Sankhavādakakula,15 Natakakula,16 Gandhabbakula17, and the like suggest that they formed separate castes of their own.
Similar in status to these people but leading a more settled life were the cowherds (Gopālaka), cattlemen Pasupalaka) grass-cutters (Tinnahāraka), stick-gatherers (Katthahāraka), and foresters (Vanakammika) as they are described in the MajjhimaNikāyal8 and Kuņāla Jātakas.19 They probably lived an exclusive life, collecting together into villages of their own, away from the towns and cities which they visited for selling their produce to earn their livelihood.
1. Majjh, II. 18, 46; III. 118; Jā, II. 79; III. 376. 2. Su. Ni, 1.5; Digha, 33. 3. Digha, I. 78; Majjh, II. 18; Jā, 1. 320. 4. Jā, II. 18, 405; IV. 344. 5. Ibid, II. 167; III. 61, 507. 6. Ibid, I. 430. 7. Ibid, II. 142. 8. Ibid. IV. 495. 9. Ibid, 1. 370; II. 267, 429; III. 198, 348. 10. Ibid, IV. 389. 11. Ibid, II. 249. 12. Ibid, I. 283.
Ibid, I. 284.
Ibid, I. 283. 15. Ibid, I. 284. 16. Ibid, II. 167. 17. Ibid, II. 248. 18. Majih, I. 79. 19. jā, V. 417.
14.
