Lokayata and lokayatics in the ancient sources (the Pali Canon and the “Arthashastra”)

Abstract

While researching the lokayata school of Indian philosophy are usually based on medieval sources. The author, however, did manage to discover two ancient references to the lokayata school. The first one are fragmentary mentions from the 'Arthashastra”; the second, is a detailed one from the sutras "Digha-Nikaya”. The result of comparison of these two sources is quite contradictory to what was commonly believed before, namely that the adherents of the lokayata were neither atheists and nor materialists. On the contrary, they were brahmanas-ritualists, zealous admirers of the "three Vedas”, fierce adherents of the "Dharma of the four varnas and ashrams” and related brahminic privileges. Besides, a comparison of the Canon (i.e. the list of recognized and studied disciplines-v/dya of the lokayata listed in the “Digha-Nikaya”) with the similar list ofthe brahminic “schools ofKautilya” (which comprises the “Arthashastra”) reveals almost complete identity. The findings suggest that the teaching of the “school of Kautilya” was similar to that of the lokayata school or was its variant.