Ajñana
| Views of the six heretical teachers | |
|---|---|
| The views of six śramaṇa in the Pāli Canon, known as the six heretical teachers, based on the Sāmaññaphala Sutta. | |
| Pūraṇa Kassapa | |
| Amoralism (akiriyavāda; natthikavāda) | There is no reward or punishment for either good or bad deeds. |
| Makkhali Gośāla (Ājīvika) | |
| Fatalism (ahetukavāda; niyativāda) | We are powerless; suffering is pre-destined. |
| Ajita Kesakambalī (Charvaka) | |
| Materialism (ucchedavāda; natthikavāda) | Live happily; with death, all is annihilated. |
| Pakudha Kaccāyana | |
| Eternalism and categoricalism (sassatavāda; sattakāyavāda) | Matter, pleasure, pain and the soul are eternal and do not interact. |
| Nigaṇṭha Ñāṭaputta (Jainism) | |
| Restraint (mahāvrata) | Be endowed with, cleansed by, and suffused with [merely] the avoidance of all evil. |
| Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta (Ajñana) | |
| Agnosticism (amarāvikkhepavāda) | "I don't think so. I don't think in that way or otherwise. I don't think not or not not." Suspension of judgement. |
Ajñāna (Sanskrit: अज्ञान, (Vedic) IPA: /ɐd͡ʑ.ɲɑː.nɐ/; (Classical) IPA: /ɐd͡ʑˈɲɑː.n̪ɐ/) was one of the nāstika or "heterodox" schools of ancient Indian philosophy, and the ancient school of radical Indian skepticism. It was a Śramaṇa movement and a major rival of early Buddhism, Jainism and the Ājīvika school. They have been recorded in Buddhist and Jain texts. They held that it was impossible to obtain knowledge of metaphysical nature or ascertain the truth value of philosophical propositions; and even if knowledge was possible, it was useless and disadvantageous for final salvation. They specialized in refutation without propagating any positive doctrine of their own. Sanjaya Belatthiputta was one of the major proponents of this school of thought.