Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 316

Sec. II]
291
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SŐTRA
SECOND SECTION
Arts and Crafts
Arts and crafts have stood next to agriculture in importance and been correlated with it in the economic life of the society in every age of human civilization.
Agriculture produces the food stuffs and raw materials for the social consumption, but it cannot supply all the requirements of the people, such as, clothing, housing etc., nor can it absorb the entire population in its productive system.
So with the change in Nature, the growth of the population, and the social evolution, the very fundamental economic laws have led the surplus people on lands to discover some ways and means for finding out a solution of this grave problem of maintenance and to learn arts and crafts in order to earn their livelihood and consequently inspired them with a new zeal to render service to the whole society by their occupation in this field of economics.
The BIS throws much light upon these aspects of economic system by furnishing ample evidences regarding various arts and crafts which were the sources of earning livelihood of certain sections of the community during its period.
The list of these arts and crafts begins with the hunting operation and ends with the medical profession, the former involved the act of killing peaceful and playful lower animals, like deer, birds and other games for the sustenance of human life; while the latter was carried on to cure diseases, to relieve physical sufferings and to save life, particularly the human life for its continuance.
Thus the hunting of deer by trapping? and shooting arrows, bird.catching and fowling, and fishing“ formed the occupations of some classes of the people for earning their livelihood.
1 Bhs, 1, 8, 65.
2-8 16, 1, 8, 67.
4 Ib, 7, 6, 288.