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Many debates and questions about secularism, and what it means in the Indic context, have been raised by scholars, politicians, academics, religious gurus, journalists and others. Many people confuse the word “secularism” to mean the same as it does in the European context. The 1976 edition of the Indian Constitution translates secularism as “panth-nirpeksh” or “path-neutral”.
Illustration by The Geostrata
Understanding the key differences between Western and Eastern theism can help us distinguish between the two socially and politically.
The Vedants are spread across 6 Traditional Darshanas or philosophy, and 4 Modern Paths. Broadly they are:
Traditional Darshanas (Philosophy):
Purva Mimansa
Uttara Mimansa
Nyaya
Vaiseshika
Sankhya
Yoga
Modern Panths( Spiritual Path):
Charvaka
Jains
Buddhist
Sikhi
The Six Traditional Darshanas(Philosophy)are part of the orthodox and Traditional Philosophies. Other modern philosophies that came in between were Advaita, Visishtadvaita, Dvaita, Dvaita-Advaita, Shuddhadvaita and Achintya Bheda-Abheda, to name a few. Together, these philosophies are the bedrock of what informs the Indic thought towards affirmation of a Creator existing (and from Him come the other Deities).
However, Bharat also has a rich history of rejecting this God. Many thinkers and schools of thought, both ancient and modern, have questioned and grappled with the existence of this Ishavara. These schools are called either Nastik or NIrishvara. Nastik, or “without belief” refers to the lack of belief in the Vedas. Nirishvara, or “without a God” refers to the lack of belief in a Deity or the Creator themselves.
The Nirishvara schools usually refer to Buddhism, and can also refer to the Advaita Vedanta (due to the duality presented in this thought). These philosophies believe in a Mystic Law that keeps checks and balances of the world. Most deities revere saints and gurus, and characters from Fable scripture without a belief in them.
On the other hand the Nastik schools of thought are the Charvak and the Jains. These schools of thought reject the authority of the Vedas, but that does not inherently mean a rejection of the existence of a Creator Deity.
Despite not having a Creator Deity, the Jain School of Thought still believes in the cycle of rebirth and death, and this pushes the Jains to forego all material possessions and live the life of a renunciate. It focuses on the purity of thought while rejecting all sensory stimuli.
In stark contrast the Charvakas only believe in the sensory reality: that which can be felt. The Charvakas do not have an anti-theistic outlook towards deities or the very belief in a Sacred Object; they merely do not bother with it as they cannot touch or feel it.
The Charvakas are not particularly interested in disproving or proving the existence of the Divine, or in rejecting Theistic philosophy with Anti-Theistic philosophy like how the Nirishwara schools are. Rather, Charvakas advocate for the focus on the material reality one feels around them. This contrasts with the view that the Bhagavad Gita has which mentions that the Five senses are entry points of the material world to the metaphysical world, or the outside world into the soul.
Charvaka thought can best be defined by rationalism and scepticism. The main opposition to the Vedas is not an inherent opposition to the ideals of the Vedic texts, but the lingering scepticism about the non-provability of the Vedic texts. The cycle of Karma, the Rituals of Fire, and the Sacrifice of Animals, are not proven to give tangible benefits to the Charvaka. They cannot be felt by their hands. Hence, the Charvaka remains sceptical.
However, the Charvaks were not inherently opposed to participating in these rituals. They participated in them as cultural or civilizational events, and there was no prescribed rejection of practices in the Charvaka philosophy. The goal of life was to live it to the fullest without fear of punishment from the Ruler or the Divine.
The Charvaks believed in finding the divine within, and this is best represented in the prayer “aham brahmastmi”, or “I am brahma”; an acknowledgement of the divine within.
While many point to Brihaspat as the founder of the Charvaka philosophy, there is not much evidence of him being the same person (similar to how there are multiple Ved Vyas or “Divider of the Vedas” throughout history). Similarly. Brihaspat means “The Great Lord”.
Charvaka thinkers do not have any authoritative scriptures. The closest to such a text is the Lokaayat Sutras. However, this text has been lost entirely to invasions and colonizations. Most references to the Lokaayat Sutras, or the Charvakas themselves, is from other scriptures and references from Buddhism, or from critiques of the Charvaka from Theistic Schools of Thought lke Nyaya Darshan.
Despite the heated debate between the Theists and the Charvakas, there seems to be no evidence of ostracization from society or culture, a common feature in most societies at the time. This is reflected in today’s times when children question the existence of the Creator in their households.
Charvaka Philosophy, while being closer to Atheism, differs from Western Atheism entirely. Western Atheism is more philosophical and actively emphasizes the non-existence of a Creator. The Western Atheist can be divided into two parts, the Atheist and the Anti-Theist, where the latter define their identity around their opposition to the Vedas.
An example of such a movement in the East can be seen in the Bengal Renaissance movement which took place in the 1800s till the 1900s. To oppose the growing superstition in Bengali society, and to respond to the questions posed by anti-theists like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, a rationalist and inquisitive movement led by Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Thakur, and the likes emerged.
Similarly, in Maharashtra there emerged Savarkar's school of thought, which opposed superstitions like blind cow worship, and advocated for reforms like the Seven Shackles of Hinduism, but also supported the civilizational and cultural elements of Bharat as inherent to being a “Bharatiya”.
These movements were not purely theistic either, and opposed superstition on several levels. However, they still derived divine inspiration from the arts, which they believed holds the power to transform one's life.
Western Atheism is closer to the philosophy of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, EVR Niacker and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, which only emerged in a post-colonial era, heavily influenced by Western Atheist Thinkers. These thinkers actively opposed the worship of Deities, often writing against them and calling for their destruction.
However, the Charvaka School of Thought is an oddball philosophy unlike any other in the world. While it rejects blind faith and irrational superstition, it is not anti-theistic and militantly opposed to religion as a whole.
It advocates for rationalism, and being present in our material reality. As a philosophy, it is tolerant of all sides, and rejects picking a side merely because of Theism. It is tolerant and accepting while also being rationalistic. Another word for it can be “panth-nirpeksha” or path-neutral.
The Charvaka philosophy at its root is the foundation of Indic Secularism. It drives the plurality of Bharat. Charvaka philosophy sets an example for coexistence between Spirituality and Atheism for the rest of the world to emulate.
BY KARTHIK GOVIL
CENTRE FOR HISTORY AND CULTURE
TEAM GEOSTRATA
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