Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Sajjad Dehghanzadeh ¹
• fatemeh ahmadian ²

¹ Assistant Professor. Shahid Madani University of Azarbaijan

² Master Student of Religions and Mysticism, Shahid Madani University of Azarbaijan

Abstract

In the history of religious and philosophical thought of India, Charvaka philosophy (Lokayata) is a unique school of thought that by having theoretical tenets of materialism, provides a purely materialistic interpretation of existence. This school, through the negation of realm beyond sensory perception, asserts to the pure originality of the material and supposes that the only the material reality has validity and the sole authentic perception is the sensory perception. Expressing of atomistic cosmology, apparently, Epicurean philosophy in Greece is the most similar school of thought to Charvakh. The findings of this article which is obtained by method of comparison and analyze, shows that in both schools of thought, reality is based on the originality of the material, two kinds of causes are rejected, human's existence is explained only based on his material dimension, as well as any existence after death is denied. However, these two of philosophy offer different interpretations about the component of existence and nature and kinds of them as well as about tangible or intangible of them. 

Highlights

Materialistic Ontology: A Comparative Study of the philosophy of Charvaka and Epicures

Sajad Dehghanzadeh¹, Fatemeh Ahmadian²

¹ Assistance professor. Shahid Madani University of Azarbaijan (corresponding author)Email: sa.deghanzadeh@azaruniv.ac.ir

² Master Student of Religions and Mysticism, Shahid Madani University of Azarbaijan, Email: Ahmadian.fa1393@yahoo.com

Abstract

In the history of religious and philosophical thought of India, Charvaka philosophy (Lokayata) is a unique school of thought that by having theoretical tenets of materialism, provides a purely materialistic interpretation of existence. This school, through the negation of realm beyond sensory perception, asserts to the pure originality of the material and supposes that the only the material reality has validity and the sole authentic perception is the sensory perception. Expressing of atomistic cosmology, apparently, Epicurean philosophy in Greece is the most similar school of thought to Charvakh. The findings of this article which is obtained by method of comparison and analyze, shows that in both schools of thought, reality is based on the originality of the material, two kinds of causes are rejected, human's existence is explained only based on his material dimension, as well as any existence after death is denied. However, these two of philosophy offer different interpretations about the component of existence and nature and kinds of them as well as about tangible or intangible of them. 

Keywords: Charvake, Epicures, Ontology, Materialism, Reality

Introduction

In the history of human Thought, there have been many paradigms to explain existence and beings. Materialism is a kind of positivistic ontology that has some manifestations both in East and West cultures. Chavaka and Epicureanism are two materialistic schools that in spite of belonging to different cultures, they have many resemblances. By comparing these two thought systems and by accenting on their similarities, we can assume that Materialism, even in Indian culture that appears to alien with materialistic thoughts, possesses comprehensiveness in all human cultures. To examine this hypothesis, we can ask two fundamental questions: How Chavaka and Epicureanism explain the main ontological problems, such as Fact, Awareness, and Causality? What kind of similarities and differences we can find between these two philosophical schools?

Ontology of Charvaka

Originality and permanence of Matter

Charvaka philosophers believe that the world and its creatures are built-up by a different combination of four basic elements: water, fire, earth, and wind. According to Charvaka, although all beings are unsteady and impermanent, those four elements themselves are permanent. If we ask them ‘How you find out that these four elements are fundaments of Universe?’ They surely shall say ‘by senses that are the only authenticated resources’.

Accepting Yadrija-Vada instead of Causality

Charvaka School by denying the Causality and its accessories believe that Accidence determines all of the events of the universe (Yadrija-Vada) and that there is no wise God or powerful gods beyond the world as normative causers. So all of the phenomena by chance and exclusively originating in Nature.

Awareness as a material phenomenon

Another basis of charvaka ontology is Denial of ‘soul without body’ and accepting ‘Awareness as a secondary material characteristic. According to this thesis, even awareness comes from four material elements. When these elements so combined that a living be formulated, awareness as a secondary quality arises, ultimately when the four elements separated from each other, the awareness is suppressed. These radical ideas of awareness led Charvaka philosophers to both denials of ‘soul without body’ and disapproving of ‘transmigration’.

Epicurean ontology

Atomism

Atomism as a materialistic theory suggests that all beings are formulated and came from atoms. Atoms are solid, undividable and numerous so that different kinds of atoms give birth to different beings and different worlds. According to Epicure even gods are consist of atoms and inhabit in distance between worlds.

The idea of deviation

According to Epicure, the main movement of atoms particles is dropping quickly from up to below. Alongside these movements, atoms sometimes deviate from their main course and contact one another. Because of their solidness, atoms jump and accumulate. In the result of these accumulations of atoms different beings came into existence.

Denial of resurrection and transmigration

According to Epicure, it is a big lie that the dead body be capable of experience death. Moreover, eschatological ideas are origins of fear, anxiety, and legends that promise tortures to the man in the afterlife. All of the beliefs in afterlife or imagination of spirit without body are filled with many uncertainties. For example, when spirit or soul is separated from the body, is it aware and has senses? If not, the soul can’t experience the afterlife, whether it be fearful or enjoyable. Accordingly, the eschatological ideas such as transmigration are invalid.

Conclusions

Materialism is a popular thought in all cultures. Epicureanism and Charvaka respectively are the two most important representatives of the materialism of Greece and India, though the former’s thought system is more coherent and more rational. Epicureans alongside with Charvaka philosophers criticize any idea of God's interference in the world, but they, contrast to Charvaka, accept the atomic and material existence of gods and spirits. Charvaka School declares that the Awareness is a secondary quality and has not independent existent, while Epicureans believe that awareness has an independent existence combined of atoms. While Epicure explains the cosmogony by the ‘idea of deviation’, Charvaka interpret it by ‘Yadrija-Vada’ or the idea of ‘Accidence’.

References

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Keywords

• Charvake
• Epicures
• Ontology
• Materialism
• Reality