Atheism in Hindusim

[PAB]

Firstly, Hinduism isn't strictly a religion in the western sense of the word...which was new to me.

"Hinduism does not have a "unified system of belief encoded in declaration of faith or a creed",[54] but is rather an umbrella term comprising the plurality of religious phenomena originating and based on the Vedic traditions" - WIKIPEDIA

Currently I'm reading about caste which focuses primarily on Hindu caste society. And amongst my background fact checking i came across a school of Hindu philosophy known as Cārvāka or Lokāyata. Which is a materialistic and atheist philosophy as old as the 6 Century CE.

All original texts on this school of Indian philosophy are lost the only remains are secondary, most famous being the "Sarva-Darsana-Samgraha" which as i understand it was an account of all the known philosophical schools. It starts with the Cārvāka and is in general a critique of it rather than an unbiased account.

Quotes

The Agnihotra, the three Vedas, the ascetic's three staves, and smearing one's self with ashes,
Were made by Nature as the livelihood of those destitute of knowledge and manliness.

- i.e. religious texts and ideas are man made.

Springing forth from these elements itself
solid knowledge is destroyed
when they are destroyed,
after death no intelligence remains

i.e. There is no consciousness after death.

It was also believed that consciousness was a product of the body.

Cārvāka, a materialistic and atheistic school of Indian philosophy, had developed a systematic philosophy by 6th century CE. Cārvākas rejected metaphysical concepts like reincarnation, afterlife, extracorporeal soul, efficacy of religious rites, other world (heaven and hell), fate, and accumulation of merit or demerit through the performance of certain actions. Cārvākas also refused to ascribe supernatural causes to describe natural phenomena. Cārvāka philosophy appears to have died out some time after 1200 CE- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism_in_Hinduism

Further reading :

http://archive.org/details/Sarva-Darsana-Samgraha.by.Madhavacharya-Vidyaranya.tr.by.E.B.Cowell

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cārvāka

 

[Aught3]

Which is a materialistic and atheist philosophy as old as the 6 Century CE.

Actually I think it is the sixith century BCE which makes it the oldest materialistic philosophy with surviving records. Well only in their nay-sayers notes, but not bad going for that time period.