History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c15.s1.28

c15.s1.28

Our conclusion on the begging and dietary habits of the Ājīvikas must be that in general they were somewhat less lax than those of the Buddhists and less strict than those of the Jainas. Indeed if a passage in the *Bhagavatī Sūtra* ³ is to be believed they even went so far as to permit the eating of animal food. " This is laid down in the Ājīvika rule, that all beings whose (capacity for) enjoyment is unimpaired obtain their food by killing, cutting, cleaving, lopping, amputating, and attacking." It is noteworthy, however, that the same passage mentions the names of twelve Ājīvika laymen whose lives were led on the principles of strict *ahiṃsā* approved by Jainism, and who were destined for reincarnation in heaven.