History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c24.s2.20

c24.s2.20

It will be seen that the qualities of atoms in Buddhism are more like those of the Ājīvika atomic system than those of the Vaiśeṣika and closely correspond to the system described in *Maṇimēkalai*, which is, however, silent on the functions of the atoms. The doctrine of *Maṇimēkalai*, that atoms combine in fixed proportions, with its apparent corollary that no element may exist in its pure state, is similar to that of the Buddhists. Buddhist atomic theory also agrees with that of the Ājīvikas in attributing the function of cohesion to one element only, although in the former system this is water, and in the latter air.