‘A pupil who is full twenty years old, and knows what is becoming and unbecoming, shall not salute a young wife of his teacher by clasping her feet‘. 86 ‘ It is the nature of women to seduce men in this (world); for that reason be never unguarded in the company of females‘. 87 ‘For women are able to lead astray in (this) world not only a fool, but even a learned man, and (to make) him a slave of desire and anger.’ ‘One should not sit in a lonely place with one’s mother, sister or daughter for the senses are powerful and master even a learned mail ‘. 88

The above, which sets forth a most austere life for a student and guidance for men, is the outcome of the reaction of the reformatory movements like Buddhism and Jainism. The vigorous ascetic standard of life has necessitated keeping men away from women. Among the earliest lawgivers none sanctions such an austere life for a student.

Woman was not considered to have such an evil effect in society. In fact, the law- books and the contemporary evidence have nothing—or very little to show that such a rigid type of asceticism was then customary. This rigorous type of asceticism can, however, be traced in the Jatakas. The stories of the Jatakas seem to have been framed to bring to light the evil influence of women so both the institutes of law and the popular literature of the time seem to have been striving for a common end, and both belong to a common period.