[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Religion and philosophy](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion) › [History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951) › c1 # History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c1: Front matter History and Doctrines of the Ājīvikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c1 - **Language:** English ### Front matter ### [c1.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.1) GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGY CENTRAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL LIBRARY ### [c1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.2) D.G.A. 79. ### [c1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.3) Fig. 344. ### [c1.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.4) Fig. 353. ### [c1.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.5) BUDDHA DISPUTING WITH THE HERETICS. (From Grünwedel, \*Alt-Buddhistische Kultstätten.\*) ### [c1.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.6) HISTORY AND DOCTRINES OF THE ĀJĪVIKAS A VANISHED INDIAN RELIGION ### [c1.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.7) by A. L. BASHAM, B.A., Ph.D. ### [c1.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.8) Lecturer in Ancient Indian History at the School of Oriental & African Studies, University of London. ### [c1.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.9) With a foreword by L. D. BARNETT, Esq., C.B., F.B.A., Litt.D., M.A. ### [c1.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.10) LUZAC & COMPANY LTD. 46 GREAT RUSSELL STREET, LONDON, W.C.1. ### [c1.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.11) PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY STEPHEN AUSTIN AND SONS, LTD., FORE STREET, HERTFORD. ### [c1.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.12) To My Revered \*GURU\* L. D. BARNETT --- | --- FOREWORD BY DR. L. D. BARNETT | xi PREFACE | xiii BIBLIOGRAPHY | xix ABBREVIATIONS | xxxi ### [c1.13](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.13) PART I. HISTORY OF THE ĀJĪVIKAS ### [c1.14](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.14) I. INTRODUCTION | 3 ### [c1.15](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.15) The Historical Background to the Rise of Ājīvikism. ### [c1.16](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.16) II. THE SIX HERETICS ### [c1.17](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.17) The Record of the \*Sāmañña-phala Sutta\* | 11 Other Buddhist References to the Doctrines of the Heretics | 18 ### [c1.18](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.18) III. MAKKHALI GOSĀLA AND HIS PREDECESSORS ### [c1.19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.19) Ājīvika Leaders before Makkhali Gosāla | 27 Nanda Vaccha and Kisa Saṅkicca | 27 The Immediate Predecessors of Makkhali Gosāla | 30 Makkhali Gosāla | 34 Birth of Makkhali Gosāla | 35 The Meeting of Gosāla with Mahāvīra | 39 The Peregrinations of the Two Ascetics | 41 Gosāla and the Sesamum Plant | 47 Gosāla and Vesiyāyaṇa | 49 Gosāla Attains Magical Power and becomes the Leader of the Ājīvikas | 50 ### [c1.20](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.20) IV. THE LAST DAYS OF MAKKHALI GOSĀLA ### [c1.21](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.21) The Six \*Disācaras\* | 56 Gosāla is Exposed by Mahāvīra | 58 Gosāla Visits Mahāvīra | 60 Gosāla’s Delirium | 61 Ayampula Visits Gosāla | 62 Gosāla’s Repentance and Death | 64 --- | --- The Date of Gosāla’s Death . . . . . 66 The Name and Titles of Makkhali Gosāla . . 78 ### [c1.22](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.22) V. PŪRAṆA AND PAKUDHA Pūraṇa Kassapa . . . . . . 80 The Death of Pūraṇa . . . . . 84 Pakudha Kaccāyana . . . . . . 90 ### [c1.23](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.23) VI. THE EARLY ĀJĪVIKA COMMUNITY (I) The Wandering Philosophers . . . . 94 Etymology of the Term Ājīvika . . . . 101 The Ājīvika Initiation . . . . . 104 The Ājīvika Life . . . . . . 107 The Ājīvika Community . . . . . 109 The Ājīvika Sabhā . . . . . . 115 Song and Dance . . . . . . 116 ### [c1.24](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.24) VII. THE EARLY ĀJĪVIKA COMMUNITY (II) Begging and Dietary Practices . . . . 118 Accusations of Worldliness and Immorality . . 123 The Final Penance . . . . . . 127 Ājīvika Laymen . . . . . . 131 Relations between Ājīvikas and Buddhists . . 134 Relations between Ājīvikas and Jainas . . 138 ### [c1.25](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.25) VIII. ĀJĪVIKAS IN THE NANDA AND MAURYA PERIODS Mahāpadma . . . . . . . 142 Ājīvikism in Maurya Times . . . . 145 The Barābar and Nāgārjunī Caves . . . 150 ### [c1.26](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.26) IX. ĀJĪVIKAS IN LATER TIMES References in Sanskrit Literature . . . 161 Varāhamihira and Utpala . . . . 168 Silāṅka and the Trairāśikas . . . . 174 Nemicandra on the Ājīvikas . . . . 181 Lexicographical References . . . . 182 The Last References to Ājīvikas . . . 184 ### [c1.27](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.27) X. THE SOUTHERN ĀJĪVIKAS The Inscriptions . . . . . . 186 Ājīvikas in Tamil Literature . . . . 196 APPENDIX TO PART I—THE ICONOCLAST ASCETICS OF KASHMĪR . . . . . . 205 ### [c1.28](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.28) PART II. DOCTRINES OF THE ĀJĪVIKAS ### [c1.29](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.29) --- | --- XI. ĀJĪVIKA SCRIPTURES | The \*Mahānimittas\*, the \*Maggas\*, and the \*Oṇpaṭu-kaṭir\* | 213 Pāli and Prākṛit Quotations | 216 Quotations by the Commentators | 220 ### [c1.30](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.30) XII. \*NIYATI\* | 224 \*Niyativāda\* Dialectic | 228 The Development of the \*Niyati\* Doctrine | 235 ### [c1.31](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.31) XIII. ĀJĪVIKA COSMOLOGY | The Categories of the \*Sāmañña-phala Sutta\* | 240 The Eight Last Things | 254 The Six Inevitables | 255 Other Ājīvika Categories | 256 \*Maṇḍala-mokṣa\* | 257 ### [c1.32](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.32) XIV. OTHER DOCTRINES OF THE ĀJĪVIKAS | The Elements | 263 Ājīvika Atomism in Relation to other Indian Atomic Doctrines | 267 The Soul | 270 The Gods | 272 Ājīvika Logic | 274 The Status of Makkhali Gosāla | 275 ### [c1.33](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1.33) XV. CONCLUSION | Summary | 278 Dr. Barua’s Three Questions | 279 The Influence of the Ājīvikas | 279 The Place of the Ājīvikas in Indian History | 283 --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c1) · Pramāṇa