Payasi

Pāyāsi, also known as Paesi, is a figure found in ancient Indian Buddhist and Jain literature, primarily known through legends. He is depicted as a king with strong materialistic beliefs, who, in his pursuit of empirical evidence, ordered several experiments to ascertain the non-existence of the soul. These experiments often involved cruel acts performed on condemned criminals, with the aim of observing the soul's escape or lack thereof upon death. In both traditions, a religious figure, a Jain or Buddhist monk, engages Pāyāsi in a debate. Through philosophical arguments and logical refutations of his experimental findings, the monk manages to convince Pāyāsi of the existence of the soul and the validity of their respective religious doctrines. Consequently, Pāyāsi abandons his materialistic stance and converts to the faith of his debater. Scholars suggest that the legends of Pāyāsi in both Buddhist and Jain traditions may stem from a common ancient source rather than one being a direct borrowing from the other, highlighting the popularity of such didactic narratives in ancient India.