Ajivika- The life of the Lifeless: Conclusion


 

As mentioned previously everything that we know about the Ajivikas is through the critique of their philosophy by other traditions and therefore we should be very cautious in judging them. If we were to take Ajivikas philosophy, as others mention it, then we can see that an Ajivika must be nihilistic.  Since Ajivika does not believe in the karmic law, he will seek as much pleasure as he will see no point in living an ascetic life.


 Historical records mention that on the contrary, Ajivikas lived a simple ascetic life. This is a clear indication that we do not have a full picture of Ajivikas philosophy. Historical records mention that Ajivikas did have their own scriptures at some time but all of those have now been lost. We will only be able to learn the true nature of their philosophy if by chance we are able to rediscover their scriptures. I think the true nature of Ajivika philosophy can be deciphered from its name, which literally means livelihood.




Considering that Ajivikas lived a simple life and believed in absolute fate, it seems that Ajivikas proposed to live a simple life just for the sake of living and accepting one’s fate without any qualms, instead of worrying about some vague goals such as moksha or nirvana. In modern times when Jainism and Buddhism are well-established religions with Mahavira and Buddha now being given the status of Gods, it seems rather difficult for us to humanize them and see them as struggling leaders fighting for supremacy of their own sects. Thinking about lost sects such as Ajivika to a certain extent helps us in developing that perspective and therefore makes us more open-minded.

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