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THE LICCHAVIS
315 liberality they gave the best among them to the Buddha and the Buddhist Church. That these caityas were beautiful and fine buildings, where people might wish to dwell indefinitely, was the expressed opinion of the Buddha, as we see from a passage in the Digha Nikaya.
About the marriage rites of the Licchayis, it is said in the Tibetan books that there were rules restricting the marriage of all girls born in Vaiśālī to that city alone. They state, The people of Vaiśālī had made a law that a daughter born in the first district could marry only in the first district, not in the second or third; that one born in the middle district could marry only in the first and second; but that one born in the last district could marry in any of the three; moreover, that no marriage was to be contracted outside Vaiśāli.'2 Certain passages in the Bhikkhunī Vibhanga Sanghādidesa : indicate that a Licchavi could ask the Licchavigana or corporation of Licchavis to select a suitable bride for him, or to try a case of adultery. The punishment for a woman who broke her marriage vow was very severe; the husband could even kill her with impunity. But an adulterous woman could save herself from punishment by entering the congregation of nuns.* The Licchavis appear to have had a high idea of female chastity; violation of chastity was a serious offence amongst them. The Buddha says that 'no women or girls belonging to their clans are detained among them by force or abduction '.5 The Petavatthu Atthakathā gives the story of a Licchavi rājā named Ambasakkhara who was enamoured of a married woman, whose husband he engaged as an officer under him; but he was foiled in his attempts to gain her love.
The Licchavis observed various festivals, of which the Sabbarattivāro or Sabbaratticāro was the most important. At this festival, songs were sung, and drums and other musicalinstruments were used.? When a festival took place at Vaiśālī, all the people used to enjoy it, and there were dancing, singing and recitations. 8
1 Buddhist Suttas, S.B.E., Vol. XI, p. 58. 2 Rockhill, Life of the Buddha, p. 62.
3 Bhikkhuni Vibhanga Sanghādidesa, II, Vinaya Pitaka, ed. H. Oldenberg, Vol. IV, pp. 225-6.
4 Ibid., p. 225. 5 Buddhist Suttas, S.B.E., Vol. XI, pp. 3-4.
6 Petavatthu Atthakathā, Sinhalese edition, Simon Hewavitarana's Bequest Series, No. 1, pp. 154-6; and see B. C. Law, The Buddhist Conception of Spirits, 2nd Ed., pp. 73-5.
7 Samyutta Nikaya, Vol. I, pp. 20I-2. 9 Theragātha Commentary, v. 62; Psalms of the Brethren, p. 63.
