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Appendix - C : Ājivika Philosophy [ 209 destiny because everything is pre-determined.
(2) As a corollary, the theory of karma on which the whole structure of Jainism is based becomes irrelevant.
(3) Each Jiva is an involuntary victim of his own destiny and hence should not care for developing virtues or avoiding vices. If there is social disorder resulting from this attitude, it should be taken as predetermined and even if there is human effort to develop virtues and avoid vices, that also should be taken as pre-determined.
(4) Principles of Sarvara ( stopping the inflow of karmas ) and Nirjará ( shedding of accumulated karmas ) are useless as both the processes are pre-determined.
(5) Fundamental human feelings and emotions are useless as every Jiva has to suffer its own course and nobody can be helpful in changing that course.
(6) All knowledge and inquisitiveness are useless as the whole universe is bound to progress or regress in accordance with its predestined course.
(7) Best way to get happiness is to enjoy, to eat, to drink, to dance and to make yourself merry without taking any problem of life seriously.
Any such doctrine was bound to fail, as it has, in fact, failed very miserably. Lord Buddha compared this doctrine to a hempen garment ( Auguttara Nikāya ). Both the Jainas and the Buddhists have vehemently protested against the mechanistic inflexibility of this doctrine. Obviously the doctrine demands human resignation to a previously determined course without any compensation and affords no answer as to who determined the course and why ? The answer that the whole scheme is self evolving is no answer or solace to a seeking soul who is in search of peace. The doctrine of Karma has destroyed the concept of an omniscient and all determining God, but has given a substitute for God by evolving the theory of cause and effect coupled with the authorship of the self for all karmas. The Ajīvika doctrine also destroys the concept of
Loty.
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