History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c15.s1.11

c15.s1.11

The statement of the *Majjhima* passage above quoted, that the Ājīvikas do not accept invitations (to meals) is particularly suspect, for the *Vinaya*¹ tells of a relative of King Bimbisāra who had become an Ājīvika monk and who persuaded the King to invite all heretical communities to dine in turn, his own, we may presume, being included. A few pages further on² we find the Buddhist *saṅgha* provided with a superfluity of food and inviting ascetics of other communities to come and partake of it; on this occasion Ājīvikas seem to have made good use of the invitation. The *Arthaśāstra*³ finally shakes our faith in the applicability of the *Majjhima* passage to the organized Ājīvika community, by stating that Ājīvikas may not be invited to *śrāddha* feasts; the ban would have been unnecessary if cases had not occurred in which Ājīvikas did attend such functions.