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Indian Philosophy v1.c9.s17: Materialism

Indian Philosophy v1.c9.s17

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English

Materialism

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Materialism is as old as philosophy, and the theory is to be met with in the pre-Buddhistic period also. Germs of it are found in the hymns of the Ṛg-Veda. "Several vestiges show that even in the pre-Buddhistic India proclaimers of purely materialistic doctrines appeared; and there is no doubt that those doctrines had ever afterwards, as they have to-day, numerous secret followers."¹ In the early Buddhist scriptures there are references to this doctrine. "Man is composed of four elements. When man dies, the earthly element returns and relapses into the earth; the watery element returns into the water, the fiery element returns into the fire, the airy element returns into the air; the senses pass into space. Wise and fool alike, when the body dissolves, are cut off, perish, do not exist any longer."² The materialists must have preceded Buddhism, since the oldest Buddhist books mention them.³ There are references to this doctrine in the epics.⁴ Manu refers to nāstikas (nihilists) and pāṣaṇḍas (heretics).⁵ The classic authority on the materialist theory is said to be the sūtras of Bṛhaspati, which have perished. Our chief sources are the polemical works of other schools. The Sarvadarśanasaṃgraha gives a summary of the teaching of the school in its first chapter.

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¹ Garbe : *The Philosophy of Ancient India*, p. 25.

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² Rhys Davids : *Dialogues of Buddha*, ii., p. 46.

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³ Rhys Davids : *American Lectures*, p. 24.

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⁴ See Śāntiparva, verses 1414 and 1430–1442; and Śalyaparva, 3619; and see also Viṣṇu Purāṇa, iii. 18. 14–26.

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⁵ *Institutes of Manu*, ii. 11; iii. 150, 161; iv. 30, 61, 163; v. 89; viii. 22. 309; ix. 65. 66; xii. 33. 95. 96.

Cites (5)