History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c10.s2.29

c10.s2.29

Two remarkable references, strongly indicating the confusion of the various doctrines, are to be found in the *Saṃyutta Nikāya*. In one of these⁴ Mahāli, a Licchavi, approaches the Buddha while the latter is residing at Vesāli, and declares: "Pūraṇa Kassapa says, 'there is neither cause nor basis for the sins of living beings; they become sinful without cause or basis. Neither is there cause or basis for the purity of living beings; they become pure without cause or basis.'" The same phrase is repeated in the second passage,⁵ but here the words "ignorance and lack of discernment" ⁶ are substituted for "sins", and their antitheses for "purity". These passages indicate quite clearly that Pūraṇa was thought of as holding doctrines very similar to those of Makkhali, to whom the words are ascribed in the *Sāmañña-phala Sutta*.