428 



SCIENCES AXD SOCIAL ARTS. 



[Part IV. 



by wliicli the king had a right to employ, for pubhc 

 purposes, the compulsory labour of the iiiliabitants. To 

 what extent this was capable of exaction, or under what 

 safeguards it was enforced in early times, does not appear 

 from the historical books. But on all occasions when 

 tanks were to be formed, or canals cut for irrigation, 

 the Mahawanso alludes — almost in words of course — 

 to the application of Eaja-kariya for theh' construction \ 

 the people being summoned to the task by beat of 

 drum.^ 



The only mention of the system which attracts parti- 

 cular attention, is the honour awarded to the most pious 

 of the kings, who, whilst maintaining Eaja-kariya as an 

 institution, nevertheless stigmatised it as " oppression " 

 when apphed to non-productive objects ; and on the 

 occasion of erecting one of the most stupendous of the 

 monuments dedicated to the national faith, felt that the 

 merit of the act would be neutralised, were it to be 

 accomplished by " unrequited " labour.^ 



^ The inscription engTaven on tlie 

 rock at Mihintala, amongst other re- 

 gulations for enforcing tlie observance 

 by the temple tenants of the con- 

 ditions on which their lands were held, 

 declares that " if a fault be committed 

 by any of the cultivators, the adequate 

 fine shall be assessed according to 

 usage ;. or in lieu thereof, the delin- 

 quent shall be directed to work at the 

 lake in making- au excavation not 



exceeding sixteen cubits in circum- 

 ference and one cubit deep." — Tije.- 

 koue's Epitome, &c., Appendix, p. 87. 



"^ Mahawanso, ch. xxv. p. 149. 



^ Bnd., ch. xxvii. pp. 163, 165. 

 King Tissa, a. d. 201, in imitation of 

 Dutugaimimu, caused the restorations 

 of monuments at the capital " to he 

 made with paid labour." — Ibid., ch. 

 xxxvi. p. 226. See ante Vol. I. Ft. ni. 

 ch. V. p. 357. 



