History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c13.s1.5

c13.s1.5

The first of these texts depicts a demi-goddess, Nīlakēci, converted to Jainism and travelling from one teacher to another to dispute on points of doctrine. Her opponents include among others the Buddhist elder Maudgalyāyana and the Buddha himself, Parāśara, who is the protagonist of Sāṅkhya metaphysics, and Pūraṇa, the leader of the Ājīvikas.³ He is described as the chief of a monastery of Ājīvika monks at a place called Kukkuṭanagara, “the Lord Pūraṇa, without comparison in intelligence.”¹ He receives Nilakēci, and expounds his doctrine to her, stating that Maṅkali is the Ājīvikas’ Lord (*irai*).² Thus it is plain that the Tamil Ājīvikas looked upon Pūraṇa as a great leader, the contemporary of the Buddha, and second only to Maṅkali himself. The name Pūraṇa may by this time have become a title, for it seems in one verse to be applied not to the teacher, but to the deified Maṅkali.³ The location of Kukkuṭanagara, where Pūraṇa is said to have taught, may be of some significance, and is considered in a later chapter.⁴