Carvaka concept of self

By
Somosri Hore
Introduction
• Carvaka refers to Indian Materialism
• The word for materialism is Lokayatika
• We do not have access to original texts. Thus various interpretations
of the term Carvaka
• Epistemology- They believe that perception is the only source of valid
knowledge.
• All material objects can be perceived through our senses and thus we
can only assert the reality of material objects
Metaphysics
• The doctrine of self falls under Metaphysics, but they derive their
metaphysical conclusion through their epistemological conclusion;
perception is the only source of valid knowledge.
• Thus any other source of knowledge like inference is invalid. Hence,
they deny the transcendental world which is beyond our perception
along with denial of soul, God, arsta, since the entire transcentental
realm is beyond perception.
Justification
• They hold that the world is made up of 4 elements as opposed to 5 as
ether cannot be perceived.
• These 4 elements compose everything from living to non-living
things. Bodies, senses and other objects are result of different
combinations of the 4 elements.
• They deny any internal perception of mental states of self.
Cont..
• For them, consciousness is perceptible. It arises from matter only.
Since it exists in the material body, it must be a quality of the body
only.
• Soul/ self is nothing but a conscious body

• But is consciousness present in any of the elements?

Carvaka’s reply
• Carvaka answers with the help of analogy
• They hold that although soul is not present in any of the element
separately, it comes into existence when the 4 elements are
combined.

• Analogy: When we take a betel leaf, lime and nut individually, they
don’t appear to be red in colour. The moment these are combined
together and chewed, a red colour can be seen.
Cont..
• Analogously, when the four elements combine in a particular way,
they give rise to a living conscious body.
• Thus they further reject immortality of soul or self

• Death of the body is the end of an individual.

• Rebirth, karma, heaven hell is denied