________________
( 54 ) days is no safc argument for the supposition that it never for certain prevailed in former times. We know that the Brahaspalyas are called Lokayatas. It may be that their religion being pleasant found a worldwille acceptance in ancient India though it is altogether extinct now.
Gentlemen, it is a well-known fact that the literature in ancient India wils mnemonic. Much of this literature has been lost. The Brahaspatya Sutras existed once. They have been lost. The Sutras of many other schools of philosophy have been lost, and it is therefore, that we know nothing about them. It is only the Vedic literature of ancient India much of which has been preserved by the careful Brahmans. But if the literature of other schools of philosophy has not reached us, and if we know nothing about them except from occasional references to them in Brahmanical writings, wc arc not entitled to propound vur own thicorics about the extent to which they prc. vailed in ancient times. We know in our own case that our Shastras were reduced to writing after the time of schd, but that our vcrbal literature existed before him almits of no doubt. The Jains were not 50 Carciul 1 tlic Bralnans is preserving their livet tions. Thus, 1ch of our wiicicnt lore is lust. Or it may be WC mily be able to cliscover Shastras hitherto unknown throwing liylit upon our ancient history: But thiut our Shastras werc rcduced to writing after Asoka is no argument to suppose that the Jains had no literature upon which thesc