Charvaka Philosophy (Revocation of Vedas) / Materialistic Philosophy

It believes in four elements –
Charvaka philosophy is called materialistic philosophy. This ideology is also called Lokayata philoso-
-phy as the only power of visible world is accepted in it and other world (parloka) is negated or it represents
interests of the masses.
As per the tradition, Guru Brihaspati is regarded as the pioneer of this philosophy. It is said that
Brihaspati propagated this philosophy for destruction of the demons.
According to some scholars, the word Charvaka has its root in ‘charva’ conjugation of Sanskrit lan
guage which means ‘to chew (chavan) or dine’. Since eating, drinking and making merrying is known as the
ultimate manlihood of a person, this philosophy is called Charvaka philosophy.
According to some scholars, since followers of this belief used pleasant mode of expression, this
ideology was called the Charvaka. Charvaka philosophy is positivist, materialistic and hedonist ideology in
Indian philosophy. It is positivist in view of epistemology.
Under positivism of epistemology, Charvaka philosophy rejects all other evidences of the knowledge
except direct perception.
The real knowledge is called ‘Prama’ in Indian philosophy and the extraordinary means of Prama is the
evidence. The Buddhist and Vaisheshik philosophy accepts only two evidences – pratyaksh and praman. Jain,
Sankhya, Yoga and Vishishtadvaita also add shabd praman with it. Nyaya philosophy accpets for evidences –
pratyaksh, anuman, shabda and upmeya.
According to Charvaka philosophy, there is only one evidence of the real knowledge which is pratyaksh.
The knowledge originated from sense organs and contact of object is pratyaksha. Since we have five sense
organs eye, nose, tongue, skin, ear, hence, they provide knowledge of form, smell, taste, touch and hearing.
Charvaka philosophy rejects anumana, shabda, upman etc other evidences of the knowledge, there
fore, it negates evidence of the Vedas. He perceives them full of the untruth, repeat and irrelevance because
they provide the knowledge of the extrasensory subjects like soul – supreme soul, liberation, etc.
Metaphysics
The metaphysics of the Charvaka philosophy is perfection of his epistemology. Charvaka philosophy
accepts the power of the elements which have pratyaksha. They reject the elements which do not have
pratyaksha. The elements which do not have their pratyaksha, they reject their power. In this background, they
accept the power of only gross element or materialistic substances because only they have the pratyaksha.
They do not accept the extrasensory subjects like soul, other world (parloka), etc as they do not have their
pratyaksha. Thus, metaphysically, Charvaka philosophy is gross or materialistic.
Following facts of metaphysics of Charvaka philosophy are remarkable :
A. Origin of earth from four elements (bhutas) : Charvaka philosophy accepts the power of four elements
– earth, fire, water and air. Five elements are believed in other Indian philosophies.
B. Rejection of extra-bodily self element : Charvaka philosophy rejects an eternal existence of the spirit.
It may be noted here that Charvaka philosophy does not negate the existence of the spirit but it rejects its non-
physical form, its indecayance and immortality. Apparently, the spirit is a physical element in Charvaka philoso-
-phy and its components – body and the conscious elements found in it get originated from the gross elements.
This ideology believes in materialism.
C. Rejection of existence of God : Charvaka philosophy terms religious and moral value of the God’s
power as mental illusion. Since the God has no pratyaksha, He has not existence whatever. Origin of the world
is due to amalgamation of four elements (bhutas) hence the question of need of the God as a creator does not
arise.
PHILOSOPHY (6)
(2)
Achar Mimansa
Traditionally, in Indian ideology liberation (moksha) is considered the greatest virtue of man. In other
words it is the final goal of life. Sometimes, it is also accepted as the state of bliss. According to Charvakas, it
is not death is not the greatest virtue of man. It is death which is the liberation (moksha). The desire of happi-
-ness and liberation after death is baseless. Out of four virtues (purusharthas) only kaam is the greatest.
Charvakas have a clear belief that only things which provide happiness are ideal and justifiable. Live
happily as long as there is life. Enjoy life to its fullest even on the cost of borrowing (drink ghee even if you may
have to borrow) because there will not be any rebirth once the body turns to ashes.
Review of Metaphysics – Metaphysics dissolved the attachment to the past and attraction to future
because when someone reflects getting free from the assumed concepts and religious beliefs then he gets
inclination toward materialism. But when does serious reflection then he distracts from materialism. Surpris
ingly, Charvaka philosophy served the same purpose.]
Achar Mimamsa (Criticism of Hedonism) / Niti Mimamsa
The moral ideas of Charvaka philosophy is seen quite worthless as it declared hedonism as an ideal of
moral philosophy. It looked down upon the happiness of entirety believing individual happiness as its ideal. The
critics say that Charvaka philosophy degraded human being to the level of beasts. It had the only ideal – eat,
drink and make merry, do not worry about future. Charvaka philosophy has believed kaam as the greatest
virtue but it forgot that desires multiply on fulfilling them instead of getting subsided.
Jainism
Anekantavada : Anekantavada is the metaphysics of the Jain philosophy. Anekantavada means that
the thing has several dharmas. Here the word ‘dharma’ means attribute. In the Jain philosophy two kinds of
attributes of the matter is accepted – 1. Swarup Dharma 2. Agantuka Dharma
As consciousness is the swarup dharma of jiva, the clay is swarup dharma of a pot. Agantuka dharma
is the variable dharma of the matter. It keeps on occurring in the dharma. The matter can be in existence even
in absence of it, such as color, form, etc are agantuka dharma of pot.
According to the Jain philosophy, the matter is truth (sat). The truth (sat) is one which has its origin and
destruction. The Jain philosophy asserts that the Advaita and the Buddhism are akantika. Only matter is
accepted in the Advaitaand attributes are rejected.
On the contrary Buddhist philosophty accepts variable dharmas and neglects the matter. Thus, meta
physics of the Jainism is with infinite dharma (anantdharmatmaka). Anekantavada and Syadvada are two as
pects of the same doctrine. Anekantavada is the doctrine of metaphysics which means there are infinite things
in the world and each has infinte dharmas. Anekantavada is the doctrine of metaphysics which means there are
infinite things in the world and each thing has innumerable dharmas. Gyan Mimamsa is the doctrine of meta
physics and logic which means whole knowledge of man is onesided, partial, incomplete and relative. There-
-fore, its advice is also partial and relative.
Syadavada
This is the most grotesque doctrine of the Jain philosophy. Syadavada is the doctrine of advice in the
Jainism. In Jain philosophy the partial knowledge of the matter is called the naya and the advice about the
matter based on this partial knowledge is naya.
Saptabhanginaya is the evidence of Syadavada. It means seven kinds of paramarsh or naya of something which
are given below –
1. syad-asti—perhaps it is. (relatively it is )
2.syan-nasti—relatively, it is not,
3. syad-asti cha nasti—relatively, it is, and it is not,
4. syad-avaktavya?—relatively, it is indescribable
5. syad-asti-avaktavya?—relatively, it is, and it is indescribable,
6. syan-nasti-avaktavya?—relatively, it is not, and it is indescribable,
(3)
7. syad-asti-nasti-avaktavya?—relatively, it is, it is not, and it is indescribable,
Jiva: Jiva is the Atmatatva (self element) of Jain philosophy. It is a non-physical element. Jiva is of two kind-
1. Mukta Jiva (liberated jiva)
2. Baddha Jiva (bondaged jiva) – i. Tras (mobile) ii. Sthavar (static)
In the Sthavar Jiva, there is minimum manifestation of jiva. It is of five kind – Prithwikäya or Earth
Bodied Jiva, Vayukayik or Water Bodied Jiva, Agnikayik or Fire Bodied Jiva, Vanaspati Kayik or Plant
Bodied Jiva. These are single sensed being.
Mobile jivas have two, three, four or five senses and are divided into the following categories:
(1) Two Sensed Beings (Dwiindriya Jiva): with the senses of touch and taste (shell, snail)
(2) Three Sensed Beings (Treindriya Jiva): with the senses of touch, taste and smell (ants)
(3) Four Sensed Beings (Chaurindriya Jiva): with the senses of touch, taste, smell and sight (beetles, flies)
(4) Five Sensed Beings (Panchendriya Jiva): with the senses of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing. (Human
beings, animals)
According to Jain philosophy the jiva is naturally perfect. Four kinds of perfection (Anantchatushteya)
are found in it. These are : 1. Infinite knowledge 2. infinite vision 3. infinite power 4. infinite bliss
Jain philosophy propounds ‘madhyam parinamvada’ about jiva. It believes that parinam of jiva in
creases and decreases in mundane context. The way a lamp fully lights a room small or large, a jiva assumes
the size and shape of the body in which it enters. The body which possesses one soul can accommodate
another soul as well. The way a room can be lighted by two lamps together, the single body can house more
than one jiva too.
Achar Mimamsa of Jainism :
Panch Mahavrata
Sankhya Philosophy
Satkaryavada doctrine : Satkaryavada is cause related doctrine of Sankhya philosophy. According
to this doctrine, the effect remains present in the cause before its origin, such as the pot remains present in the
clay before its origin. Following logics can be given in favor of this doctrine.
1. If the effect is not believed to be present in the cause then no desired work can be produced from
the cause. For example, in spite of all efforts sugar can never be produced from salt.
2. Usually, a specific cause requires a specific cause, such as , there is a need of milk for curd, oilseed
for oil, etc. This also proves that the effect is present in the cause though unmanifested.
3. Cause and effect are only two different states of the same element. The effect is only hypostasis of
the cause. For example, ornament is basically gold.
Nyaya Vaisheshik does not accept Satkaryavada of Sankhya but still Satkaryavada holds specific
importance in providing sound base to interpretation of form of the nature and its authority and nature,
Parinamvada and Vikasvada.