History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c23.s1.42

c23.s1.42

That the Ājīvikas classified humanity according to its spiritual colour is confirmed by *Maṇimēkalai* and *Civañāṇa-cittiyār*. The former text⁴ quotes the colours of the births (*pirappu*, equivalent to Sanskrit *abhijāti*) as follows: (1) Black (*karu*), (2) dark blue (*karu-nīla*); (3) green (*pacu*); (4) red (*cem*); (5) golden (*poṉ*), and (6), white (*veṇ*). It is further stated that those in the pure white (*kaḷi-veṇ*) category reach salvation.⁵ It may be suggested that the *poṉ* category in this list corresponds to the *sukka* of the Pāli, and the *veṇ* to *parama-sukka*. The text, however, also mentions a pure white category, the colour of salvation, and this is confirmed by the *Civañāṇa-cittiyār*, which includes “supremely white” as one of the six colours, stating that it only exists in those who are saved from *saṃsāra* (*viṭṭiṉ*), while the others are to be found on earth.⁶ It will be noted that in the *Maṇimēkalai* list green is lower in the scale than red. If we attribute the colours to the same classes as those in the Pāli list, this would place the nirgranthas above the Ājīvika laymen, and is not wholly impossible. The *Maṇimēkalai* order is that of the Jaina *leśyās*, to which the Ājīvika *abhijātis* are closely akin.