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shore in the winter.' And later texts, of about the third century B.C., speak of voyages down the Ganges from Benares to the mouth of the river and thence across the Indian Ocean to the opposite coast of Burma; and even from Bharukaccha (the modern Baroch) round Cape Comorin to the same destination (871). It is clear, therefore, that during the whole of this period the occupation of sailor was neither unfrequent nor unimportant.
BUDDHIST INDIA
17. The rush-workers and basket-makers (868). IS. Painters (865). They were mostly housepainters. The woodwork of the houses was often covered with fine chunam plaster and decorated with painting. But they also painted frescoes. These passages tell us of pleasure-houses, adorned with painted figures and patterns, belonging to the kings of Magadha and Kosala; and such frescoes were no doubt similar in character to, but of course in an earlier style than, the well-known ancient frescoes of the seventh and eighth centuries A.D. on the Ajanta Caves, and of the fifth century on the Sigiri Rock in Ceylon.
It is doubtful with regard to two or three in this list whether they were organised in guilds (seniyo, pūgā). But it is certain that these were among the most important branches of handicraft apart from agriculture; and most of them had, no doubt, their guilds not unlike the mediæval guilds in Europe. It is through their guilds that the king summons the people on important occasions (865). The Aldermen
Samyutta, 3. p. 155, 5. 51: Anguttara, 4. 127. 2 Vin. ii. 151; iv. 47. 61, 298; Sum. 42, S4.
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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