History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c21.s3.22

c21.s3.22

These verses indicate that, besides their early literature in Prākrit, and the Tamil scripture Oṉpatu-katir, the Ājīvikas possessed a later literature in Sanskrit, containing much philosophical poetry. It might be suggested that these verses were composed by the commentators themselves, to illustrate the views they were discussing. Yet here are eight verses, quoted by different commentators in different centuries, and all attributed to Ājīvikas or *niyativādins*. It is more probable that some at least are genuine, than that all are spurious.