Consider the following statements: Ajivikas were fatalists who bel...
Ajivikas and Lokayatas in Ancient Indian Philosophy
The given statements are related to two distinct philosophical schools in ancient India - Ajivikas and Lokayatas. Let's examine each statement in detail:
Statement 1: Ajivikas were fatalists who believed that everything was predetermined.
The Ajivikas were followers of the religious and philosophical system founded by Makkhali Gosala. They believed in a deterministic worldview, where everything was believed to be predetermined by fate or destiny. According to their philosophy, human actions were not responsible for the outcomes; instead, these outcomes were predetermined by cosmic forces beyond an individual's control. This fatalistic perspective had a significant influence on their way of life.
Statement 2: Lokayatas were materialists who rejected the authority of the Vedas.
The Lokayatas, also known as Charvakas, were proponents of a materialistic philosophy in ancient India. They rejected the authority of the Vedas, which were considered sacred texts in Hinduism. The Lokayatas advocated a rationalistic approach and emphasized the importance of empirical evidence and direct perception as the basis for knowledge. They denied the existence of an afterlife, rebirth, and the concept of karma. According to their worldview, the material world was the only reality, and they focused on enjoying life to the fullest.
Statement 3: Makkhali Gosala was an Ajivika teacher and Ajita Kesakambalin was a lokayata teacher.
This statement is true. Makkhali Gosala was a prominent teacher and founder of the Ajivika school of thought. He was a contemporary of Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, and Gautama Buddha. Makkhali Gosala's teachings revolved around the concepts of determinism and fatalism.
Ajita Kesakambalin, on the other hand, was a teacher of the Lokayata philosophy. He is mentioned in ancient Indian texts as one of the prominent proponents of materialism.
Conclusion:
Therefore, all the given statements are correct. Ajivikas were indeed fatalists who believed in predetermination, Lokayatas were materialists who rejected the authority of the Vedas, and Makkhali Gosala and Ajita Kesakambalin were respective teachers of these philosophical schools.
Consider the following statements: Ajivikas were fatalists who bel...
- Statement 1 is correct: The Ajivikas was one of the heterogeneous sects developed in pre-Mauryan times. The followers of the Ajivikas were described as fatalists: those who believe that everything is predetermined.
- Statement 2 is correct: The Lokayatas were usually described as materialists. They rejected the notion of an afterworld, karma, liberation (moksha), the authority of the sacred scriptures, the Vedas, and the immortality of the self.
- Statement 3 is correct: Makkhali Gosala was an Ajivika teacher and Ajita Kesakambalin was a lokayata teacher.
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