Lokayata: A Study in Ancient Indian Materialism

725 Pages·1959·41.07 MB·English

by  Debiprasad Chattopadhyaya

LOKAYATA
A Studiyn
Ancient Indian
Materialism
DEBIPRASAD
.C HATTOPADHYA)'A
HOUSE
PEOPLEP'USB LISHING
LOKAYATA
A STUDY IN
ANCIENT INDIAN
MATERIALISM
DEBIPRASADC HATTOPADHYAYA
PEOPLE'SP UBLISHINHGO USE
FirsPtu blishe1d9:5 9
Second EdiJtainouna:r 1y9 68
ThirEdd itioDne:c embe1r9 73
Fourth EdiDteicoenm:b e1r9 78
Fifth Edition: 1N9o8v1e mber
Sixth Edition1:9 8A5p ril
SeventEhd itioAnp:r i1l9 92
© PEOPLPEU'BSL ISHHOIUNS(GEP L )T D.
No parotf t hibso okm ayb er eproducienad n yf ormw ithout
permissiinow nr itifnrgo mt hep ublisheexrcse,pb tyr eviewer
who mayq uotber iepfa ssaigne revietwob ep rintienda
a
magazinoern ewspaper.
PricRes:.1 20.00
ISBN8 1-7007-006-6
PrintbeydP .PC_. J oshaitt heN ewA geP rintPirnegs Rsa,n Jih anRsoia d,
New Delhi-110a0n5dp5 u,b lisbhyeh di mf orP eopleP'usb lishHionugs e
PrivaLtted .R,a niJ hanRsoia dN,e wD elhi-110055
PREFACETO THE F-IRESDTI TION
Butf otrh een com·agaenmdae cntti veo fSh herPlirp a santa
KumaSra nyIca olu nlodt hsatvaert thweeod r akta laln d with­
outth c&o operoafmt yiy oounn tge acShherHria riSdiansh aray,
Lectmi·nSe arn skrRiatan,hg aCto lleI gceo,u lnde vehra ve
finisihteI.dti si ndeiemdp osfsoirb lteob ee xplaibcotiu t
me
theex teonfmt y g ratittoSu hdreSi ih anrawyh:e reIvh earv e
deviaftreotdmh set andtarradn sloaftt hiaeon ncsi teenxtIt s
havseu bstan-toifatleelxnyc lus-idveepleyn udpeodhn i s
renderCihnagpsVt.Ie IroI f t hbioso iknp artiecmubloadsrio e s
mucohf h ipsa tileanbtot uhraI t a mi nclitnole odo ukp on
ita sa joipnrto duIcnt . addhieth iaogsno ,nt eh rotuhgeh
entmiarneu scalndi gpitv meeni nnumesruagbglees tions.
Int hmea ttoefer d ittihnmega nursicapntsd e eiittnh gr ough
the ptrheems oss,at r duotuassh ka sh,o wevbeeren,t haotfS hri
T.K .N .M enoIn a.m a lsgor atteofm uyol t hferri einntd hse
PeopPlueb'lsi shiD.wgh ohH aovpueas tei ecnotolpye rwiatthe d
inm anwya ys,
me
To ShrMia nnidrKai shoCrhea kravoaftr hteJy a davput
U11ivIeo rwseai n tuym boefcr r ucsiuaglg esTthieio nntse.r pre­
tatiooftn h weo rvd- raaatswy eal alst hpeo isbslien dicoaft ion
thper ehyi osftt ohVree disca criafissc uegsg ebsytt ehwdeo rd
yajamwaenroaer igipnoailnoltuyet dm etb oyS hrCih akravarty.
SimilSahrrClihy i traSbehna,nt uh oAefs iaStcoieict yB,e ngal,
dremwy a ttenttoti hopeno ssiobfii nltietryp suraedthayyianmg
adva�o1'fta hjCeah (m doyga Upanishaasdm eani'nrge nounced
thVee dsitcu diSehsrR'ia. m akrMiasihtnhare al pmeewd i tah
considneurmabbelorefa nthropodlaotgwaih ciacIlh have
nsebde;s ihdeeh saps,r epatrhGeeed n eralf otIrhn pedr eexs ent
volume.
�Jyi ndebtteodtn weoos fms y i ntifmraiteeSn hdrSsiu, b hash
\IukhopaadnhdSy hraiyM ao hiSte ni,sp eculpiem:rlvya sive;
apafrrto cmo ncrheetloepn m anayn i mpormtaatnttee vre,n
rambltianlwgki stt hh ehma voep enfeodmr e q uarorfin ees\ \'
vi LOKAYATA
ideaTso. S hriR adharamMaint rIao wet hem astergluyi dance
onm anyf undamenptoailn ts.
To my wifAel okIaa m indebtfeodrh erp atiecnoto peration
andv etmyu ch elsbee sides.
Iti sr egretttheaddt i acritmiacraklcs o ulndo tb e usedi n
the textT.h erhea d,h owevebre,e onc casiwohnesn t hee xact
pronunciaotfia o Sna nskwroirtd p rovevdi ttaolt hea rgument,
e.gi.ti, s a rguetdh atth ew ord" vra·t wyaas d erivferdo mt he
word' vrartaat'h tehra n' vratWah'e.r et hed ifferebnectew een
'aa'n d· �h··a sr eayl mlatter'eada,i s'u sedt oi ndictahteel atter,
e..,g in' vraa(tv ar'a ta')K,a pil(aK aa·p ila')b,h aag(ab'h aga),
"varnaka;t' (v arnakeat)c,e. t c.
Italicsu niforumsleyd t oi ndicSaatnes karnidtP alwio rds
are
othetrh anp ropenra mes.
Abbreviatuisoendis n t hef oot-noatreese xplainin edt he
Bibliography.
0EB£PRASCHAADTT OPADHYAYA
PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION
It is gratifyitnog s eeo ne'sb ook goingi not a third
editioTnh.e opportuniittg yi vemse to add a briepfr eface
shoulfidr sotf a llb e utilibsye dm e toth ankt hosfer ienind s
theP eopleP'usb lishiHnogu se,w hosec ontinueeffdo rkte eps
theb ooki n circulatTihoen .o nlyt roubliest hatI cannot
perhaptsh ankt heme noughF.o rl ookinagf tetrh ep roduction
oft hep reseendti tioIn a,m particultahralnyk ftuolm y young
frienSdr iS ubodhR ay,w ho hasu ndertaktehnem aint rouble
involved.
The presenetd itiolni,k teh ep reviouosn e,i s actualal y
photo-offrseeptr oductoifot nh efi rsetd itioofnt heb ookT.h'i s
procehsesl sp botht hep ublisahnedrt hea uthotro a voiad good
dealo fb otheratIitosln i.m itathioowne,v eri,st haitt d oesn ot
allowm uch scopfeo rr evis.i oInn 1973o,n en aturafleleyl s
likaem endinagn da lterian lgo to fw hato new rotseo met ime
befor1e9 59w,h,en t heb ookfi rsatp pearedf.e ltIth es amei n
1967w,he nt herwea st hep roposfaolri tsse conedd itioBnu.t ,
thenI, didn ott ryt hisf.o rI coulsde et hatth en ewm ateria]
I wantetdo a dda ndt hew ayi nw hichI wantetdo r eformulate
my argumenctasl lefdo rs om ucho fc hangteh aitt w asp refer­
ablyd onei nt hef ormo fa separabtoeo ka ltogethIenr t.h e
prefatcoet hes econedd itioIn a,c tualplryo misesdu cha book
tot her eaderssu,g gestfionrgi tt het itlFeu rtheSrt udieisn
IndiaMna terialiWshma.t I thenc ompletemliys calculwaatse d
aboutt het imei tw ouldt aket o completteh em anuscripTt .
thoughtth atsi ncteh em aina rgumenwtesr ecl eart om y mind
and sincteh em ateriraelq uirteods ubstanttihaetsewe a so n
thew holea lreacdoym pield, thea ctuaplr ocesosf w orkinogu t
theb ookw ouldn otto takea greadte alo ft ime.O nlyw henI
actualsltya rtwerdi tidnigd l realihsoew veryw rongI was.
Therea rem ainltyw or easotnhsa mta ket hep rocemsusc hm ore
viii LOKAYATA
time consumintgh ano riginatlhloyu ghotf .F irstliytn, e eds
alstoh ew orko fc lear'iunpga hugeh eapo fi ntellecdteubarli s
thath as accumulatientd h en ameo ft hec ontemporianrtye r­
pietatioofn theI ndiapnh ilosophtircaadli tiEovne.n fort he
purposoef a ssertsionmg· ething iwshp iaclhp abrliyg hitn f ront
ofy ourn osey,o uh aveo ftetno a rguaet l engtahg ainasltsl o rts
of baseleasnsd misleandoitnigon sa boutI ndiapnh ilosophy,
becausteh eshea ves omehowo r otherb ecom·et he floating
mentaplo ssessniootno nlyo ft hea verageed ucatIendd ian but
alsoo fth osew hoh aveo therwias seu rpristienxgt ukanlo wledge
oft hes ubjecWti.t houctl eariunpg th esem isconceptiaonnys ,
statemehnotw,e vesri mple, about what phtihleo sIonpdhiiacna l
traditaicotnu alilsyr uns ther isokf b einrge adirleyj ectaesd
somef ormo fm otivatdeids tortoifoi nt S.e condltyh,em oreI
trietdo w orko utt hem ateriatlriasdti tiinoI nn diapnh iloso·p hy
them orec leardliyd I seet hatth icso ulndo tb ed onew ithout
somea ccounotf itsa ntitheisniI sn diapnh ilosopohrym ,o re
specificalltyh,e t roafd itoifo nt hew orld-denying iIfd ealism.
thehi stoorfyI ndipahni losopmheya ntth eh istoorfya more
orl escso .t?tinupohuisl osophaicctailv isttyr etcohveedr a period
of aboutt wot housanadn dfi veh undr<Kly ears-i.fer.o mt he
Upani�adwsh,i cha rep lacerdo ughliyn t hes eventohr e ighth
-centurBy. c,. to thel asgtr earte presentaotfi Ivned ialno gic
anda tomisnma, melGya dadharwah,o wrothei s booksi nt he
seventeecnetnht urAy. D.-ihta d throughobuete nt heh istory
oft hes truggsloem,e Hmessu bduesdo,m etism aecuteb,e tween
thestew ob asitcr endisn itB.e sidewsi,t ht hisb asisct ruggle
wasr elatead numbero f co11aterpahli losophpiocsailt ions.
Thus,j ustas them ateriatlriesntwd a s alwaycso mmittetdo
secularirsamt,i onalainsdm science-orientthaet iidoena,l 'i st
trenhda df ori tsm ainc orrespondmeynstst icoibssmc,ur antism
ands cripture-orieFnrtoamtt hieop no.i notf v iewo ft hibsa sic
strug�tlhee,p ictutrhea ts eemst oe mer_ofgt eh eI ndiapnh ilo­
sophictarla dithiaso na greadte alo fs ignificafnocrue n derstand­
ingt heb asiicd eologisctamlg glset igloli nogn .
Butt hea ctuawlo rko ft here construcotfti hoinps � ctuirse
nota n easyo ne.I cano nlyr eportto m y readetrhsa tI did
_persevoenr teh ew orkd urintgh el asste veryaela rasn dt hat
PREFACET O THE THIRDE DITION ix
Ia m now att hel asstt agoef b rushiunpg i tmsa nuscriIp atm.
gointgo h and ovtehsri m anuscrtiopm ty frienadtst heP eople's
PublishHionugs ei na feww eekst'i met,h ougwhi tha different
titlnee cessitbayt tehde c hangien t hep lant hatto okp lacien
thec oursoef w ritiIna gm gointgo c alilt W hatI sL ivinagn d
WhatI sD eadi nI ndiaPnh ilosophy.
Calcutta
15N ovember1 973 DEBIPRASACDH ATTOPADHYAYA

JNTRODUCTION
.
'Thien terpretoafat lialon nc iesnyts termesq uirae cso nstructive
efforts,a'iK dr ishnachaBnhdartat achairnyhy iasP1 r �fatcoet he
StudiinSe asn khPyhai losAogpaihniy,n. t roduchiinsSg t udies
in eVd anthiess ami,tdh atth ewye re' nosto m uche xpositoifo ns
thet raditiVoendaaln taasp roblemactoincs trucotniV oendsa n­
ticl ineisn tendteodb rinof!u tt her elatioofn tsh es vstem to
modernp hilosophsiytcseamls' .2 Hism ethodh asa c�ordingly
beenc haracteraiss qeodn struicnttievrep reantdat htiiasos n,
contraswtietdeh x positiinto hneo rdinasreyn s'eI:it s an exten­
sioonr d evelopmiennnt e w directioofn sso mef undamental
teneotfst hes eversaclh oolIsti. s�d, e velopmneontit n t hes ense
ofn ecessaamrpyl ificatoifow.nh sa ti sp otenttihaelr eiint:i s
rathtehre d iscovoefrn ye wp otentr;..-�a alniid:ts ii net �hast ena se
geuninaed dititootn h ee xistcionrgp uosft hep hilosyo.op fht he
relevasncth ools.'3
Obviously eintoi sun gohtf, m ·e verybotdofy o lloswu cha
methoedff ectiveIltdy e.m andas g readte aolf s peculabtriivle­
]iarrcaen di tp erhaaplss eon tatihlesr isokfr eadimnogd ercno n­
ceptwsh eret heyd o nota ctualelxyi stW.h at intereusst,s
howeveirs,t hea dmissiboyno neo fo ur� minenptr ofessoofr s
philosophye ltehmaetno tfss uchc onstructtihoonu-gohb vi.-
ouslnyo ti nt hes ames pectacsuelnas-re a rer ealulnya voidable
fora nys tudoyf t hea ncient philossyospthe'imIc:'ta \ l' do·ub le
unfatiors uggetshta tth iiss n othibnugt " subjectiivnit shme"
spheroefi nterpretaFtoirto hnes. o -cal"loebdj ectiinvtee"r pre­
tatiiosna sm uch" subjectiinvt eh'i'ss e nsaes "constructive''
interpretaTthieom ni.n dt haitn terpirsen tosta. tahuraslaa;
Jleithiesri tj usat c alculamtaicnhgi noer a n electrobnriaci n.
Thei nterpriesat etrh inkibnegi nagn da ss tichhew ilhla vet o
·i nterpwriettha mindh avinag s ysteomf b elieafnsd f rom
a
standpowihnitc hhe h appentsoo ccupaytt het imoef h isi nter­
pretataicvtei viStuyb.j ectiivnti hsimss e nsies i nevitaibnla el l
1S P 127.
lb.1 . al b.p refx.i -xii.
2