“The Illusion That the Body Is the Self — A Refutation of Atheistic Thought”#Brahma Sutras
Charvaka (Atheist) Challenge to Advaita — A Four-Part Analysis Part One – What Is the Real Question? Here, the Charvaka / atheist raises a serious and sharp objection: > “You say Advaita — only One Reality exists. Then why do you speak of here and hereafter, birth and rebirth, merit and sin, the journey of the jīva?” In short: If One alone is real, why all this secondary language? If Ātman is real, why is it not visible to everyone at once? Can you show the Ātman independent of the body? The Charvaka Stand — Very Clear 1. The body itself is the Self ‘I’ exists only as long as the body exists When the body ends → everything ends 2. No Self apart from the body You cannot show the Self outside the body Therefore “Ātman” is only imagination 3. Consciousness is a property of the body When elements combine in a certain structure A response arises — that is consciousness > Just like a car assembled gives motion The assembled body produces the feeling “I” 4. Accept only what is perceptib...