History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c21.s1.20

c21.s1.20

The Tamil sources make it clear that the Dravidian Ājīvikas also had scriptures, which they prized very highly. The Ājīvika sage in *Maṇimēkalai* is "the knower of the Book of the Ājīvikas",² and his lecture is said to contain the essence of the teaching of this text, which is also called "the Book of Maṛkali".³ Apparently this is no mere fortune-teller’s manual, but a dissertation on the nature of the universe and the means of salvation. The Ājīvika teacher in *Nīlakēci* further gives the name of the scripture as *Oṉpatu-katir* ("The Nine Rays").⁴ It is said in the text to describe the atomic structure of the universe,⁵ and is one of the four cardinal points of the Ājīvika faith, the other three being the Lord (*Aṉṉal*), the Elements (*Poruḷ*), and their modifications (*Nikaḻvu*).⁶ Around the Ājīvika *nūl* a mythology seems to have grown. The scripture was delivered by the divine Maṛkali,⁷ who is otherwise characterized by his perfect silence. Very reasonably the Jaina interlocutor asks how, if the God is silent, he could have declared the scriptures.⁸ Besides Maṛkali two divinities, Okkali and Ōkali, are mentioned as being responsible for the diffusion of the text among men.⁹ They were probably thought to have acted as intermediaries between Maṛkali and his worshippers; in the words of the commentator Vāmaṇamuni; they instructed in the scriptures.¹⁰