ہندومت کا قدیم الحادی فلسفہ چارواک: تعارف اور ہندو فلسفیانہ روایتوں کے ساتھ تقابلی مطالعہ

Ancient Atheistic Philosophy of Hinduism: An Introduction to Charvaka and Its Comparative Study with Other Hindu Philosophical Traditions

Abstract

The Charvaka (or Lokāyata) school represents the earliest atheistic and materialistic philosophy in ancient India, emerging around the 6th century BCE in response to the dominance of Vedic-Brahmanic orthodoxy. As a radical Nāstika (heterodox) system, it rejected the infallibility of the Vedas, denied the authority of the priestly class, and dismissed metaphysical constructs such as the soul (ātman), reincarnation, karma, and the afterlife as mere religious fabrications designed for social and economic exploitation. Epistemologically, Charvaka upheld pratyakṣa (direct sensory perception) as the only valid source of knowledge while denying the validity of inference (anumāna) and verbal testimony (śabda). Ethically, it advocated a hedonistic outlook summarized in the maxim: “While you live, live well, even if by borrowing,” emphasizing immediate material well-being over spiritual salvation. Charvaka’s critique of ritualism sharply contrasted with the elaborate sacrificial system of Vedic religion, exposing it as wasteful and manipulative. Although sharing with Buddhism and Jainism the heterodox rejection of Vedic authority, Charvaka went further by rejecting all forms of spirituality, asceticism, and metaphysical speculation, thereby constructing the only purely materialist school of classical Indian thought. In comparison to the Āstika traditions like Nyāya, Vedānta, and Sāṃkhya, Charvaka’s exclusive reliance on empirical reality, rejection of transcendentalism, and opposition to soteriological goals mark its radical divergence. While none of its primary texts survive, the school’s presence is preserved through quotations and refutations found in later works. This paper introduces the philosophy of Charvaka and provides a comparative analysis with other Hindu traditions, highlighting its unique contribution to the intellectual diversity of Indian philosophy.