Topic summary
Ajivikas
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Ājīvika.
Ajivikas and theism
Ajivikas believed that every being has a soul (Atman). However, unlike Jains and various orthodox schools of Hinduism that held that the soul is formless, Ajivikas asserted that the soul has a material form that helps meditation. They also believed the soul passes through many births and ultimately progresses unto its pre-destined nirvana (salvation). Basham states that some texts suggest evidence of Vaishnavism-type devotional practices among some Ajivikas.