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Ājivika sect--a new interpretation
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confidence which the historical events only are entitled to inspire. Historical events are hard facts which cannot be denied and thus by denying the five unhistorical finals ho will have to deny the three historical finals also which no sane man can ever afford to do because all the eight things as finals have an equal claim to belief and recognition. This theory of eight finals has no philosophical, ethical, theological or spiritual significance. It has a historical colour inasmuch as those three historical things are concerned, and it has no meaning beyond it. Remaining five things are the worthless inventions of Gośalaka's brain and therefore it should not engage our attention any more seriously. Instead of revealing his so-called noble motive in fahricating such an absurd theory, it brings in the forefront his lack of character. I am now coming to his Theory of Six Abhijātis.
IX - Theory of Six Abhi jātis Abhi jati is a technical term meaning a soul-characteristic which distinguishes a man from a man. Description of this theory is not to be found in Jaina literature but its underlying idea is gathered from the Buddhistic works. According to it the whole mankind is divided into six groups and every man of the world must belong to one group or the other. The following is a description of this doctrine of Gośālaka according to Bud haghosha who quotes it in his commentary on Dighanikāya from Angulfarrnikayas in which Purana Kassapa, a contemporary of Buddha, outlines a sketch of six Abhi jātis. This sketch is as follows :
(1) Krsnabhijati : This characterizes the people doing evildeeds such as fishermen, hunters and others of the kind.
(2) Nilabhi jāti: This characterizes the monks who use the four pratyayas after putting thorns in them.
(3) Lohitabhijati : This characterizes the monks who wear only one cloth, such as the pupils of Mahāvīra.
(4) Horidrabhi jati : This consists of the Ajivika Jaymen and lay women who put on clean garments.
(5) Suklābhijati : This consists of the Ājivjka monks and nuns.
(6) Poramasuklabhi jati : This consists of Nanda Vaccha, Kisa Samkicca and Makkhali Gośālaka.
It is quite apparent that this division has been based on the deeds one does and on the merits one has got. In the Jaina literature we find a similar description of the Jain doctrine of Lesjas29 which, though agreeing in substance and form with the theory of six Abhi jõtis, is finer and more thorough going than this. This fact led JACOBI and BARUA3° to hypothesize that Mahāvira borrowed this doctrine of Leśyas from Gośālaka. This hypothesis is not well founded as will be seen from the following lines :
From his theory of six Abhi jätis one can see how bigoted and self-centred AS-3
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