Archaeologists in Sumatra have discovered a set of 11th-century Chola-era copper plates that outline the 'Vanik-Dharma', a specialized ethical code for international maritime merchants. These plates, inscribed in both Tamil and Sanskrit, reveal a philosophy of global trade that prioritized 'Satya-Sampada' (wealth through truth) and 'Lokasamgraha' (the welfare of the world) over mere profit.
The text provides specific moral guidelines for interactions between traders of different faiths, emphasizing the 'universal hospitality of the sea'. This discovery provides physical evidence of a formal philosophical framework governing Chola trade networks, suggesting that the expansion of Indian influence in Southeast Asia was guided by a rigorous ethical tradition.