[Buddha-l] Aged people or senior monks?

[JKirkpatrick]

Dear Artus

Makes sense to me,  although I doubt if the great King thought
about where his gold came from, just as today's rulers also carry
on. 

Best, Joanna

-------------------------------------

On Behalf Of Artur Karp
Sent: Monday, August 08, 2011 2:17 PM


Someone (I do not remember rightly who - a privilege of an
oldtimer!), so - someone famously said that history tends to
repeat itself.

If my suspicions re VIII Rock Edict text are correct, Aśoka
thought it right to offer gold to the senior representatives of
the local monastic institutions - in exchange for a darśan. But,
since his wealth (if Arthaśastra and Gregory Schopen are right)
was amassed mainly through taxes, different tariffs and tolls,
the gold he wanted to be given away came from his subjects, some
of them surely elderly.

So - nihil novi sub sole.

Except that we want to see in this particular ruler a deeply
compassionate humanist, who wouldn't hesitate to part with some
of his gold to just better the life of his elderly subjects.

Elderly - as such. It sounds even better than the hospitals for
animals. Animals - as such. Does it mean - also pigs? Crocodiles?

Regards,

Artur K.

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