Money in the time of Siddhartha Gautama

[garudha]

Are there any known mentions of money (i.e an issued currency) by Siddhartha Gautama ...or can we presume that rice was the medium of liquidity, 2,558 years ago,in Northern India?

[Grigoris]

Are there any known mentions of money (i.e an issued currency) by Siddhartha Gautama ...or can we presume that rice was the medium of liquidity, 2,558 years ago,in Northern India?

The Ancient Greeks used money for exchange starting about 500BC and the Ancient Chinese even earlier (starting around 770BC) so there I can't see why they didn't exist in Ancient India. Actually a wiki article says they started minting coins before 500BC.

Before minting (ie metallic coins) it seems that people used specially marked stones as currency anyway.

But what does this have to do with "Exploring Buddhism"?

[Queen Elizabeth II]

But what does this have to do with "Exploring Buddhism"?

A thorough exploration entails leaving no stone unturned.

[Grigoris]

But what does this have to do with "Exploring Buddhism"?

A thorough exploration entails leaving no stone unturned.

"A thorough exploration of what?" would probably be my next question. Not that I want to hear the answer. Just saying.

[Queen Elizabeth II]

"A thorough exploration of what?" would probably be my next question.

I'm not entirely sure about that. I believe that money and the Buddha are a matter that Greg Schopen likes to explore, but I haven't yet read any of his books, so I don't know what exactly it is about them that he explores. My plan is to find out one day.

Not that I want to hear the answer.

Don't you? Well, thankfully I am myself in possession of an open and curious mind and am quite happy to hear answers about all manner of things, momentous and slight, consequential and inconsequential, grave and frivolous, you name it!

[Aemilius]

It is valuable to know something about the stage of economical and technological development in ancient India. There are many books about the different aspects of what ancient India was like at the time of Buddha, written Rhys Davids and others.
They had had mining and metal working industry for a long time at the time of Buddha. There is information about the ancient mines and metals in India, and about the geology of India, that is easily available in the internet.
They had also quarries of different types of stone, like granite, marble, and sandstone. These were used as a material for buildings, statues, gardens and artifacts.
Etc...

Here are some pictures of ancient Indian coins:
http://www.baldwin.co.uk/media/cms/auct ... 3-1488.pdf
http://www.rbi.org.in/currency/museum/c-ancient.html

[Aemilius]

"Coin of finest/refined gold" is mentioned in Dhammapada verse 230., in Buddharakkhita's translation and in Gil Fonsdal's translation.

Buddha had a layfollower called Anathapindika/Anathapindada, who was a businessman, millionare and also a banker according to some modern buddhists. "Money" is mentioned several times in the stories connected with him.
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anathapindika

Online version of T.W. Rhys Davids' Buddhist India:
http://www.fsnow.com/text/buddhist-india/

[garudha]

"Coin of finest/refined gold" is mentioned in Dhammapada verse 230., in Buddharakkhita's translation and in Gil Fonsdal's translation.

Buddha had a layfollower called Anathapindika/Anathapindada, who was a businessman, millionare and also a banker according to some modern buddhists. "Money" is mentioned several times in the stories connected with him.
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anathapindika

Online version of T.W. Rhys Davids' Buddhist India:
http://www.fsnow.com/text/buddhist-india/

[Johnny Dangerous]

There's also the Dhammapada bit that I've seen mention a "shower of gold coins".

[Kim O'Hara]

Searching http://www.accesstoinsight.org for "coin' got me 60 results
I haven't looked at all of them, though.


Kim