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8. AGE OF REASON
"Many Christians, as well as many Hindus, make the erroneous statement that Buddhism is an offshoot of Hinduism. A cursory glance at the history of what is today called Hinduism would show the statement to be false. The dominant popular religion of the area where Siddhartha Gautama began his teachings was one of animal sacrifice, prayer, magical incantations, and ritual purity. ....... A special class of people known as the Brahmans were the priests and arbiters of this religion. They were responsible for the ritual purity, the sacrifices, and for all other aspects of the religion. Many of the foundations of Hinduism came from this religion, which is Vedism. However, what we think of as Hinduism today was largely developed centuries after the spread of Buddhism. Siddhartha Gautama was from a background in which he learned well this religion. He maintained a very skeptical attitude towards it; pointing out that the Brahmans could use the religion and the special status afforded their caste to secure wealth and dominance over the populace at large" Buddhism Offshoot of Hinduism? http://www.geocities.com/tribhis/buddhismforxtians.html
6. The materialistic Nastik Lokayata (Atheistic Worldly Ones) of Carvaka
The school of materialism called the Charvaka (also called Lokayat) did not believe in the cycle of rebirth and transmigration. The frugal virtues of Buddhism and Jainism were rejected and followers were encouraged to reject all religious observances and make the most of life's pleasures! The original writings of the Charvaka are lost to us, though Brhaspati is said to be its author. We know of the existence of such a system more from comments its opponents, who were Buddhist, Jain and Brahmanical scholars. The Charvakas totally disregarded Vedas as false and even referred to the authors of the three Vedas as demons. According to them, all scriptures like Vedas consist of three major flaws - fallacy, self-contradiction and tautology. They were of the belief that the sacrificial rituals benefited only the priestly class. Charvakas denied accepting the existence of after-life, rebirth, heaven, hell, soul or gods or goddess, as those are not amenable to sense perception. Charvakas believed that the material Universe did exist. However, of God as a creator, it is only an assumption. The matter consisted of four elements: earth, water, energy and air. The creation of life is a specific process of nature and it evolved out of the composite composition of four elements. With death, all ends. That life originated from inanimate substance: "Joro shobhab bhuto-chotustoy hotey praaner utpotti.
Ramayana mentions their philosophy as follows:.
"Regard only that which is an object of perception, and cast behind your back whatever is beyond the reach of your senses "(2.108)
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