Charvakas materialism in 100 words (Philosophy)
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Charvaka (Sanskrit: चार्वाक; IAST: Cārvāka), also known as Lokāyata, is an ancient school of Indian materialism[1] or hedonism. It is a heterodox school of Indian philosophy. Charvaka holds direct perception, empiricism, and conditional inference as proper sources of knowledge, embraces philosophical skepticism and rejects ritualism and supernaturalism.[2][3][4][5][6] It was a popular belief system in ancient India.[a] It rejects supernatural concepts like god and soul. It also rejects metaphysical concepts like afterlife (or reincarnation) and moksha. Although Charvaka doctrine had disappeared by the end of the medieval period, its historical importance can be identified by the lengthy attempts to refute it found in both Buddhist and Hindu philosophical texts, which also constitute the main sources for knowledge of this philosophy.[8]
Brihaspati is traditionally referred to as the founder of Charvaka or Lokāyata philosophy, although some scholars dispute this.[9][10] It emerged during the sramana movement as an anti-vedic philosophy.[11] It rejects the authority of Vedas or any sacred scriptures and opposed the Vaidika dharma.[12] During the Hindu reformation period in the first millennium BCE, when Jainism was revived and re-organized by 23rd Arihant Parshvanatha, and Buddhism was established by Gautama Buddha; the Charvaka philosophy was fairly documented and opposed by Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.[13] Unlike other major non-theistic (nastika) religions/school of philosophies like Jainism and Buddhism, Charvaka was not a dharmic philosophy. Much of the primary literature of Charvaka, the Barhaspatya sutras, were lost either due to waning popularity or other unknown reasons.[14] Its teachings have been compiled from historic secondary literature such as those found in the shastras, sutras, and the Indian epic poetry as well as in the dialogues of Gautama Buddha and from Jain literature.[14][15] However, there is text that may belong to the Charvaka tradition, written by the skeptic philosopher Jayarāśi Bhaṭṭa, known as the Tattvôpaplava-siṁha, that provides information about this school, albeit unorthodox.[16]
One of the widely studied principles of Charvaka philosophy was its rejection of inference as a means to establish valid, universal knowledge, and metaphysical truths.[17][18] In other words, the Charvaka epistemology states that whenever one infers a truth from a set of observations or truths, one must acknowledge doubt; inferred knowledge is conditional.[19]
Charvaka is categorized as one of the nāstika or "heterodox" schools of Indian philosophy.[20][21] It is considered an example of atheistic schools in the Indian tradition. Some consider it as a part of Hindu philosophy or Hinduism as the word Hindu is actually an exonym and historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural identifier for people living in the Indian subcontinent.[b][7][c][23][d] While some others consider it as a distinct school of philosophy.[24]
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Charvaka (Sanskrit: चार्वाक; IAST: Cārvāka), also known as Lokāyata, is an ancient school of Indian materialism[1] or hedonism. It is a heterodox school of Indian philosophy. Charvaka holds direct perception, empiricism, and conditional inference as proper sources of knowledge, embraces philosophical skepticism and rejects ritualism and supernaturalism.[2][3][4][5][6] It was a popular belief system in ancient India.[a] It rejects supernatural concepts like god and soul. It also rejects metaphysical concepts like afterlife (or reincarnation) and moksha. Although Charvaka doctrine had disappeared by the end of the medieval period, its historical importance can be identified by the lengthy attempts to refute it found in both Buddhist and Hindu philosophical texts, which also constitute the main sources for knowledge of this philosophy.[8]
Brihaspati is traditionally referred to as the founder of Charvaka or Lokāyata philosophy, although some scholars dispute this.[9][10] It emerged during the sramana movement as an anti-vedic philosophy.[11] It rejects the authority of Vedas or any sacred scriptures and opposed the Vaidika dharma.[12] During the Hindu reformation period in the first millennium BCE, when Jainism was revived and re-organized by 23rd Arihant Parshvanatha, and Buddhism was established by Gautama Buddha; the Charvaka philosophy was fairly documented and opposed by Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.[13] Unlike other major non-theistic (nastika) religions/school of philosophies like Jainism and Buddhism, Charvaka was not a dharmic philosophy. Much of the primary literature of Charvaka, the Barhaspatya sutras, were lost either due to waning popularity or other unknown reasons.[14] Its teachings have been compiled from historic secondary literature such as those found in the shastras, sutras, and the Indian epic poetry as well as in the dialogues of Gautama Buddha and from Jain literature.[14][15] However, there is text that may belong to the Charvaka tradition, written by the skeptic philosopher Jayarāśi Bhaṭṭa, known as the Tattvôpaplava-siṁha, that provides information about this school, albeit unorthodox.[16]
One of the widely studied principles of Charvaka philosophy was its rejection of inference as a means to establish valid, universal knowledge, and metaphysical truths.[17][18] In other words, the Charvaka epistemology states that whenever one infers a truth from a set of observations or truths, one must acknowledge doubt; inferred knowledge is conditional.[19]
Charvaka is categorized as one of the nāstika or "heterodox" schools of Indian philosophy.[20][21] It is considered an example of atheistic schools in the Indian tradition. Some consider it as a part of Hindu philosophy or Hinduism as the word Hindu is actually an exonym and historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural identifier for people living in the Indian subcontinent.[b][7][c][23][d] While some others consider it as a distinct school of philosophy.[24]