Trade in Medieval Sanskrit Literature

[Jason Neelis]

Dear Indologists,

My forthcoming book (expected to appear late next month - with apologies for self-promotion) examines Indian Buddhist literary sources, inscriptions, and archaeological materials which illustrate links between long-distance trade and institutional expansion: 

Early Buddhist Transmission and Trade Networks: Mobility and Exchange within and beyond the Northwestern Borderlands of South Asia. Dynamics in the History of Religions, vol. 2.  Brill, Leiden; Boston.

In addition to narratives referred to by other contributors to the discussion, vinaya literature (particularly the Pācittiyavagga of the Pāli vinaya and the Mūlasarvāstivāda-vinaya) is a rich source for references to merchants involved in trading activities. 

Regards,

Jason Neelis
Religion and Culture
Wilfrid Laurier University
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5

On 25 Oct 2010, at 07:41, Patrick Olivelle wrote:

> Friends:
> 
> A colleague without access to Indology and working on trade in India 600 CE onward asks whether there is any Sanskrit textual material that would be useful to her. I think there is some material in the Katha literature -- Pancatantra, Kathasaritsagara, Hitopadesa etc. She also wants to know whether there is any secondary literature dealing with this aspect of the Katha literature. Any help would be deeply appreciated. Thanks.
> 
> Patrick

- - -- --- ----- -------- -------------
Will Tuladhar-Douglas
Anthropology of Environment and Religions
TLKY Distinguished Visiting Professor in Buddhist Studies,
  University of Toronto, Scarborough.
http://tending.to/garden