History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c25.s3.33

c25.s3.33

As we have shown, the *Mahābhārata* proves that fatalist views, implying a far more complete determinism than the orthodox doctrine of *karma*, were widespread in Northern India at a very early period.⁴ Further evidence, from the Epic onwards, shows that the small Ājīvika community of later days was not alone in its fatalism. Thus Manu instructs the Āryan not to rely on Destiny but to act for himself.⁵ Bhartṛhari’s *Nītiśataka* contains ten verses in honour of Fate.⁶ Like Manu, the *Hitōpadeśa* bears witness to and deplores the existence of fatalist views.⁷ Even in later times we can still hear echoes of Makkhali Gosāla’s despairing cry, *N’ atthi purisa-kāra*. The Ājīvikas survived until the late medieval period in the Tamil country, and certain later Tamil proverbs seem to show traces of their teaching. We quote a few examples from Jensen's collection :—