History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c13.s2.13

c13.s2.13

Then Pūraṇa, fearing that the Buddha would win over his disciples, began to discuss philosophical questions with them, and tempers rose high. Metaphysical slogans—“The world is eternal!” “The world is transient!” “The world is both!” “The world is neither!” “Body and soul are one!” “Body and soul are different!”—were bandied from one to another of the ascetics and their followers, and they left the scene of the contest a quarrelling rabble.¹