CHARVAKA

Rationalism. Secularism. Freedom

Cārvākasūtra

  • The Cārvākas and The Jains: An Overview

    RAMKRISHNA BHATTACHARYA

    Ramkrishna Bhattacharya explores the complex historical relationship between Cārvāka materialists and Jain philosophers. Although both rejected Vedic authority and ritual sacrifice, Jain writers branded Cārvākas as nāstika for denying rebirth. Crucially, Jain canonical texts, commentaries, and compendia preserved vital fragments, aphorisms, and lost commentators of the Cārvākasūtra, safeguarding Indian materialist history.

  • Udbhaṭa’s Revisionism and Nyāya-Style Exegesis

    RAMKRISHNA BHATTACHARYA

    This essay analyzes Bhaṭṭodbhaṭa’s controversial commentary on the Cārvākasūtra. Utilizing Nyāya terminology and linguistic reinterpretations, Udbhaṭa departed from traditional monistic materialism toward a dualist stance on body and consciousness. His revisionist exegesis was heavily cited by opponents like Jayanta Bhaṭṭa to critique materialist philosophy in Indian debate.

  • History of Indian Materialism

    RAMKRISHNA BHATTACHARYA

    Discover the true history of Indian materialism beyond popular misconceptions. This paper traces the evolution of the Cārvāka/Lokāyata school, clarifying its authentic textual origins, core tenets, and distinct epistemological identity while dismantling long-standing myths about its philosophy. Ramkrishna Bhattacharya provides a definitive analysis of this crucial tradition in Indian thought.