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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