Some Aspects of Jainism in Eastern India

Author(s): Pranabananda Jash
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi

Page 133

On the Ajivikas
Gośāla's career as a wanderer covers about twenty-four years, of which the first six he spent at Paṇiyabhūmi together with Mahāvira. He parted company with the latter on account of doctrinal differences, and went to Śrāvasti, where he attained Jina-hood and became the leader of the Ajivika sect.32 The reason behind the separation of these two religious personalities represents two schools of ideas, although originally they belonged to the same group. Subsequently a bitter hostility developed between these two schools; but in some cases of their doctrines and tenets they have many points in common. And there is no denying the fact that Jainism owed in many respect to the doctrines propounded by the Ajivika leader. Gośāla.33
The Ajivikas, like the Buddhists and the Jainas, formed an organised sect of religious body, a Samgha, with a corporated and social life. The communal life of the Ajivikas is known from the Ājīviya Sabha at the town of Polasapura. The Uvāsaga Dasão3 states that Gośāla went to this Sabha, attended by the Ajiviya Samgha and surrendered his begging bowl (bhaṇḍaganikkhevam karei). Again, the term Дjīvika-seyya indicates the settlement of the Ajivikas in a monastery or vihara.35 Due to the absence of any literature meant for the Ajivikas exclusively it is not possible to sketch any rules and regulations stipulated to the Ajivika monks during their stay in the vihara. Still some ideas may be gathered from the scattered references to them in the Jaina and Buddhist texts. Regarding the induction into the Ajivika order an indication of the processes of initiation is stated in the Tittira Jataka.36 It speaks of an unfortunate false ascetic who was prosecuted in the lion's court by a tiger and who was described as one having "burnt his hand by grasping a lump."37 It is explained in the commentary: "At the time of his going forth as an Ajivika his hands were burnt by grasping a heated lump" (Ajīvika-pabbajjam-pabbajjita-kāla unha-pinda-patiggalaṇena hatth'āpikir'assa daḍdha).38 An ascetic Guna is described in the Mahānāradakassapa Jātaka39 as "an ignorant, naked, wretched and blindly foolish Ajivika" (Ajänantam nagga-bhoggam nissirīkam andha-bālam Äjīvikam). The term 'naggabhoggam' is interpreted as 'one whose goods are nakedness' in the Pali-English Dictionary, but the word, as aptly suggested by A.L. Basham, would be taken to mean 'one naked and crippled.'" The Ajivikas at the stage of initiation seem to have made themselves eligible to bear out these painful ordeals. One has to bear up all
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