History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c22.s1.17

c22.s1.17

After thus dismissing Time as a possible prime mover, Śilāṅka considers the theistic explanation from the Ājīvika point of view. "Likewise happiness and grief do not come about through the agency of God. (If they do,) is God formed or formless? If he has form he has no more the capacity to create all things than has the ordinary man (who also has form). If he is formless, his inactivity must be greater than that of empty space (which is also formless). Moreover, if he be subject to passion and other (emotions), since he is not superior to us (mortals), etc., he is not the maker of the universe. And if he were devoid of passion the variety of good and evil fortune, of lord and poor man, which he has caused in the world, would not come about. Therefore God is not the creator." ² The logic of this passage seems to be that, as all beings, who are subject to passions, are created and ineffectual, so God, if also subject to passions, must also be created and share the ineffectuality of the creature. On the other hand, if he were devoid of passions he could not be responsible for the inequalities and injustices in the world.