History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c13.s1.31

c13.s1.31

The evidence of the Pāli texts indicates that Pūraṇa’s doctrines and practices did not differ greatly from those of Makkhali Gosāla, and that considerable confusion existed in the minds of the authors of the *Nikāyas* concerning the teachings of the two. In no less than four references Pūraṇa is described as maintaining part of the doctrine of determinism attributed in the *Sāmañña-phala Sutta* to Makkhali.¹ In one of these he is said to hold the doctrine of the six classes of men (*abhijāti*) and even to place Makkhali Gosāla, together with the shadowy Nanda Vaccha and Kisa Saṅkicca, in the highest class.²