Lately, I’ve been thinking about our way of living through the differentiation between our modern way and the way of ancient India. For example, through the traditional way of explaining philosophical views as the 64 different views present in India at that time.
So which view is the prominent one today? Strictly speaking, none of them. Philosophical views serve a single purpose of answering “what is reality” and such questions have been pushed to the very fringes of modern society.
So which one is the closest to the general perspective we hold? It is the view of the Charvakas (also called Lokayata), the view that was considered the most extreme by holders of all the other views.
In which way it is to be understood as extreme? Being materialistic, rejecting all kinds of scriptures and spiritual practices, emphasizing sensory experiences, promoting hedonism, and denying any kind of continuity beyond the mere materialism of this life.
The major difference between Charvakas and us, even though our attitudes are strikingly similar, is that they held it (based on contemplation) as a view, and we blindly follow it.
