History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c16.s1.26

c16.s1.26

In favour of the view that Mahāpadma was a patron of Ājīvikism it may be argued that the Ājīvika community certainly existed in some strength in Magadha at the time, and received some patronage from the Mauryas, who were the successors of the Nandas. Whatever his sect, Mahāpadma seems to have been no friend of orthodox Hinduism, and it may therefore be inferred that he patronized heretical sects. The reference in the *Bhagavatī Sūtra* suggests that he may have given his special support to the Ājīvika *saṅgha*.