1

Is Ajita a Crvka follower?

With reference to Crvka philosophy of Sarvadarana-sagraha
Bertram G. Liyanage
(liyanagebg@gmail.com)
Abstract. Pli Tripiaka mentions unorthodox six teachers who are contemporaries to the
Buddha and one of them is Ajita Keakambal whose teachings are quite similar to the views
of Crvka. The similarity between Crvka and Ajita are to be known correctly with
comparison of Crvkas account of Sarvadarana-sagraha. We find quite unexpected
account of Crvkas philosophy in Skhalita-pramathana-yuktihetu-siddhi of ryadevapda
and then it leads to the conclusion that Mdhavcrya refers to a certain stage of Crvka
philosophy and Ajita may belong to a different tradition. Though Sarvadarana-samgraha
says that lokyata is a similar title given to identify Crvkas philosophy Ajitas view is not
referred to with that name. However, the term lokyata is scattered in Tripiaka referring to
other personalities who do not appear to be Crvkas or Ajitas followers. Reconciliation of
these three facts lead someone to assign Ajita a new identification.
Key terms: Crvka, Ajita Keakambal, materialism.

Introduction
Sarvadarana-sagraha (SDS) of Mdhavcrya is one of the most important source book to
study the different philosophical systems of India. He has collected the information about
these systems and listed them in Vednta point of view, not in chronological point of view.
SDS starts with the good account of Crvkas philosophy which is usually categorised as
materialism. Holding similar materialist position of SDS there was another teacher named
Ajita and lived at the time of the Buddha. In Dgha Nikya1 (DN), we come across with a
brief account of his philosophy and surprisingly there is no any other reference of his in
Tripiaka except mentioning his name in many places. Both Crvkas and Ajitas
philosophies, anyhow, go hand in hand in three distinct topics. Further similarities or
differences are hard to be deduced as there are no any other source to quote Ajita except this
small piece of information in Tripiaka.
01. Rejection of metaphysics
Crvka2:
There is no heaven, no final liberation, nor any soul in another world nor do the
actions of the four castes, orders, &c., produce any real effect3.
The Agnihotra, the three Vedas, the ascetic's three staves, and smearing ones self
with ashes, were made by Nature as the livelihood of those destitute of knowledge
and manliness4.
The authors of three Vedas were buffoons, knaves, and demons. All the well-known
formulae of the pandits [are like] jarphar, turphar, &c5.

2
Ajita6:
[T]here is nothing given, bestowed, offered in sacrifice, there is no fruit or result of
good or bad deeds, there is not this world or the next, there is no mother or father,
there are no spontaneously arisen beings, there are in the world no ascetics or
Brahmins who have attained, who have perfectly practised, who proclaim this world
and the next, having realised them by their own super-knowledge.
02. Ontology of beings
Crvka7:
[SDS says that] [i]n this school the four elements, earth, &c., are the original
principles; from these alone, when transformed into the body, intelligence is
produced, just as the inebriating power is developed from the mixing of certain
ingredients and when these are destroyed, intelligence at once perishes also. They
quote the ruti for this [Bhadrany. Up. ii. 4, 12], Springing forth from these
elements, itself solid knowledge, it is destroyed when they are destroyed, after death
no intelligence remains8.
Ajita9:
This human being is composed of the four great elements, and when one dies the earth
part reverts to earth, the water part to water, the fire part to fire, the air part to air, and
the faculties pass away into space.
03. Criticism of funeral rites
Crvka10:
If the rddha produces gratification to beings who are dead, then here, too, in the
case of travellers when they start, it is needless to give provisions for the journey.
If beings in heaven are gratified by our offering the rddha here, then why not give
the food down below to those who are standing on the housetop?
While life remains let a man live happily, let him feed on ghee even though he runs in
debt; When once the body becomes ashes, how can it ever return again11?
Ajita12:
They accompany the dead man with four bearers and the bier as fifth, their footsteps
are heard as far as the cremation-ground. There the bones whiten, the sacrifice ends in
ashes. It is the idea of a fool to give this gift: the talk of those who preach a doctrine
of survival is vain and false. Fools and wise, at the breaking-up of the body, are
destroyed and perish, they do not exist after death.
These passages explicitly show the similarity between Crvka and Ajita. The date of
Crvka is not ascertained yet, but regarding materialistic views occurred in Brhmaa texts
and obvious references in Upaniads it is generally assumed that Crvka is prior to the
Buddha. Based on this conjuncture it is further pointed out that Ajita may be a follower or
rather somewhat later successor of Crvka.

3
In this context itself, it is also noteworthy that our knowledge about Crvkas philosophy is
based SDS and this text does not present him as a teacher of philosophical creed but as a
founder of philosophical school. In contrast Tripiaka mentions that Ajita was a renowned
teacher at that time having many disciples. In addition, Ajita is mentioned as a Keakambilin,
who wears a blanket or long piece of cloth made out of hair. This dress-code is never referred
to Crvka anywhere.
Different account on Crvka
In Skhalita-pramathana-yuktihetu-siddhi of ryadevapda gives two verses which are
obviously ascribed to Crvka in the context. Two verses are written together and seem to be
quoted from same text as well13.
Let a man live happily as long as there is no death [because] from death nobody
escapes; when also the body is burnt to ashes, from where, indeed, a future life will
be?
Therefore, there is not an existence preceding or subsequent [the present one], [so,] in
order to be happy in this very life revere the devas and subjugate the picas and the
rkasas: thus you will attain nobleness, richness and authority.
The above verse is clearly from Crvka as it is recorded in SDS as follows.
yvaj jva sukha jven nsti mtyor agocara |
bhasmbhtasya dehasya punargaman kuta ||
But the second verse is contradictory to the account of Crvka given in SDS. Since
ryadevapda criticises Crvka on this ground that if rebirth is not accepted the acceptance
of worshiping gods etc. is not justifiable. Then it is doubtless that these two verses stand for
Crvkas philosophy only. There are two Buddhist philosophers by the same name
ryadeva; one is the profounder of nyt philosophy and other is tntrika philosophy. The
author of present work is not certain but for the purpose of this paper it is sufficient to
mention that they both are earlier to Mdhavcrya for ryadeva I belongs to 2 century C.E.
and ryadeva II in 9 or 10 century. Therefore we can conclude that ryadevapda has
excerpted these two verses not from SDS but from some other text which might have
admitted Crvkas philosophy slightly differently. In case we allow the authenticity of these
two verses, we are committed to conclude that Crvka was not opposed to ritualistic
practices though rejected rebirth.
Lokyata and Crvka
In SDS, there is unequivocal reference to Lokyata being a name to distinguish the
philosophy of Crvka14.
The mass of men, in accordance with the (stras of policy and enjoyment,
considering wealth and desire the only ends of man, and denying the existence of any
object belonging to a future world, are found to follow only the doctrine of Crvka.
Hence another name for that school is Lokyata, a name well accordant with the thing
signified15.
There are many occurrences of the word Lokyata in Tripiaka but none of them refers to
Ajita in any context. Pli Tripiaka uses this word for a certain style or art of discussing.

4
Ramkrishna Bhattacharya has collected almost all of these passages alone with some other
textual evidence to prove that the term Lokyata is not used in the sense that SDS at the
beginning (probably at the time of the Buddha). Toso (2010) quotes Bhattacharya and writes
that
[i]n several passages of the Suttapiaka we meet with the word lokyata which, in this
context, as Ramkrishna Bhattacharya has acutely pointed out, refers not to
materialism, rather to the art of disputation16.
Finally he concludes that Crvka philosophy is known by Lokyata in a latter period since
the followers of this philosophy absorbed this particular art of disputation into their system.
Thereby it justifies the statement of SDS as well.
Conclusion
Now there are three different pieces of information.
01.
Based SDS, we can find similarity between Crvkas philosophy and that of Ajita
lived at the time of the Buddha. Ajitas philosophy resemblances to Crvka in three aspects;
(i). Rejection of metaphysics (ii). Ontology of beings and (iii). Criticism of funeral rites.
02.
According to ryadevapdas account of Crvka it seems that he was a materialist in
the sense of rejecting rebirth but was not opposed to rites. Therefore Crvka does not hold
strict materialism but somewhat moderately.
03.
The term lokyata is used for an art of disputing at the beginning but since the
followers of Crvka philosophy accepted this art later on they were also known by this
name.
Reconciliation of these three facts leads us to following conclusion: There was materialist
school at the time of the Buddha which upheld strict materialistic position. Crvka
philosophy was a moderate materialism but after accepting a particular art of disputing, called
lokyata, they fell into strict materialist position as we understand them from SDS. Provided
that this conjuncture is correct, we have to accept that Ajita, who was contemporary to the
Buddha, belongs to strict materialist school or tradition other than Crvka philosophy.

Notes
1. Relevant passage is quoted from Maitreya (2006) DN.I.2.
natthi dinna, natthi yiha, natthi huta, natthi sukatadukkana kammna phala
vipko, natthi aya loko, natthi paro loko, natthi mt, natthi pit, natthi satt opaptik,
natthi loke samaabrhma sammaggat, samaggat sammpaipann, ye imaca loka
paraca loka saya abhi sacchikatv pavedenti.
ctumahbhtiko aya puriso, yad klakaroti, pathav pathavikya anupeti
anupagacchati, po pokya anupeti anupagacchati, tejo tejokya anupeti
anupagacchati, vyo vyokya anupeti anupagacchati, ksa indriyni sakamanti.
sandipacam puris mata dya gacchanti. yvhan padni payanti. kpotakni
ahni bhavanti, bhassant hutiyo. dattupaatta yadida dna. tesa tuccha mus

5
vilpo ye keci atthikavda vadanti. ble ca paite ca kyassa bhed ucchijjanti vinassanti,
na honti para marati.
2. Translation is quoted from Cowell and Gough (1882: 10).
3.

na svargo npavargo v naivtm pralaukika |

naiva varnramdn kriy ca phaladyik ||

4.

agnihotra trayo veds tridaa bhasmagihanam |

buddhi-pauruahnn jvik dhtunirmit ||

5.

trayo vedasya krtro bhaa-dhrta-nicar |

jarbharturpharty di panitn vaca smtam ||

6. Translation is quoted from Walshe (1995: 95-96).

7. Cowell and Gough (1882: 2-3).
8.

tatra pthivydn bhtn catvri tattvni | tebhya eva dehkra-pariatebhya kivdibhyo

madaaktivac caitanyam upajjate | teu vinaeu satsu svaya vinayati | tadhu vijnaghana evaitebhyo bhtebhya samutthya tny evnuvinayati na pretya sajsti iti |

9. Walshe (1995: 95-96).

10. Cowell and Gough (1882: 10).
11.

mtnm api jantn rddha cet tpti-kraam | ||

gacchatm iha jantn vyrtha ptheya-kalpanam | ||
svargastthit yad tpti gaccheyus tatra dnata |
prsdasyopari-sthitnm atra kasmn na dyate ||
yvaj jvet sukha jived na ktv ghta pibet |
bhasmbhtasya dehasya punargaman kuta ||

12. Walshe (1995: 96).

13. Original Sanskrit text is not available anymore. Translations of these two verses are quoted from
Toso (2010: 544) and writer has given Tibetan verses.
ma i bar du bde bar tsho
i nas de yi spyod yul med
lus kya thal ba bin sonas
slar 'tsho bar lta ga la 'gyur
de phyir sa phyi yod ma yin
tshe di id la bde bai phyir
lha mchod dre srin mnan byas na
btsan phyug mthu stobs grub par gyur
14. Cowell and Gough (1882: 1).
15.

lokagathm anurundhn ntikma-strusrerthakmveva pururthau manyamn

prlaukikam artham apahnuvn crvkamatam anuvartamn eva anubhyante | ata eva
tasya crvkamatasya lokyatam ity anvartham apara nmdheyam |

16. Toso (2010: 545).

References
Abhyankar, V.S. Ed. (1978). Sarvadarana-Sagraha of Syaa Mdhava. Poona:
Bandarkar Oriental Research Institute.
Cowell, E.B. and Gough, A.E., Trans. (1882). The Sarvadarana Sagraha by Mdhava
crya. London: Trbner & Co.
Maitreya, B.A., Ed. & Trans. (2006). Dgha-Nikya (I). Buddhajayanti Tripiaka Grantaml
7. Colombo: Government of Sri Lanka.
Toso, K.D. (2010). The Stanzas on the Crvka/Lokyata in the
Skhalitapramathanayuktihetusiddhi: Journal of Indian Philosophy. 38:543552. DOI
10.1007/s10781-010-9106-8
Walshe, M. (1995). The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A translation of the Dgha Nkya.
Boston: Wisdom Publication.