Dāna, Gift System in Ancient India, C. 600 B.C.-c. A.D. 300: A Socio-economic Perspective

acceptance According acquired agricultural alms Ancient India Anuśāsana Parva appear aspect became become belief bhikkhus brāhmaṇas brahmanical Buddha Buddhist cattle Cave character chief common considerable contained contemporary culture dāna Delhi distribution donee donor early economic especially evident existence extensive fact gift gift-items giftmaking give given gold growing hand heterodox horses householders Ibid important India inscriptions institution interests Jāt Jātaka king known land later living Manu material means monks nature objects occasions offerings Parva perhaps period person popularity possessed post-Mauryan post-Vedic practice priests procedural production received records references regarded religious rich ritual royal rules sacrifice Similarly slaves social society sources specially spiritual Story suggest Sūt Sutta term texts tribal urban varṇa Vedic village wealth wife