View source for Lokayata: A Study in Ancient Indian Materialism

{{Short description|Book by Debiprasad Chattopadhyaya}}
{{Infobox book
|name         = Lokayata: A Study in Ancient Indian Materialism
|image        = File:Title_page_of_Lokayata_by_Debiprasad_Chattopadhyaya.jpg
|image_size = 200px
|caption      = Title page of ''Lokayata''
|title_orig   = 
|author       = [[Debiprasad Chattopadhyaya]]
|country      = India
|translator   = 
|language     = English
|subject      = Philosophy, Materialism
|genre        =
| published     ={{plainlist|
*1959 (People's Publishing House)
}}
|media_type   = 
|pages        = 696 (7th edition, 1992)
|isbn         = 978-8170070061}}
'''''Lokayata: A Study in Ancient Indian Materialism''''' is a famous book on the [[Cārvāka|Lokayata school]] of Indian philosophy by [[Debiprasad Chattopadhyaya]], first published in 1959.

In this book Chattopadhyaya used the method of [[historical materialism]] to explore the ''dehavada'' of Lokayatas, revealing how their philosophy was connected with the mode of securing material means of subsistence. The study questioned the mainstream view that Indian philosophy's sole concern was the concept of [[Brahman]]. "From the scattered references in the ancient philosophical literature which were completely hostile to the ancient materialist schools, Debiprasad Chattopadhyaya reconstructed the philosophy of [[Lokayata]], which consistently denied the existence of Brahman and viewed ''pratyaksa'' (perception) as the sole means of knowledge. He demolished the so-called "interpretation of synthesis" which sought to combine the diverse philosophical traditions of India to form a ladder that led to the philosophy of [[Advaita Vedanta]].<ref>Rajendra Prasad, "Obituary – Debiprasad Chattopadhyaya", ''Social Scientist'', Vol 21 No 5-6, May–June 1993, pp. 102–105</ref>

Commenting on ''Lokayata'' the German indologist [[Walter Ruben (Indologist)|Walter Ruben]] called Chattopadhayaya a "thought-reformer", who was "conscious of his great responsibility towards his people living in a period of struggle for national awakening and of world-wide fighting for the forces of materialism, progress, humanism and peace against imperialism. He has written this book ''Lokayata: A Study in Ancient Indian Materialism'' against the old fashioned conception that India was and is the land of dreamers and mystics".<ref>Quoted in Rajendra Prasad, "Obituary – Debiprasad Chattopadhyaya", ''Social Scientist'', Vol 21 No 5-6, May–June 1993, pp. 102–105</ref>

The book has been translated into many Indian languages including Kannada and Telugu.
 
== Further reading ==
Chattopadhyaya, Debiprasad (1959) ''Lokayata: A Study of Ancient Indian Materialism''. New Delhi: People's Publishing House. 978-8170070061

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://archive.org/details/LokayataAStudyInAncientIndianMaterialismDebiprasadChattopadhyaya ''Lokayata: A Study in Ancient Indian Materialism (1959, first edition)''] by Debiprasad Chattopadhayay on [[archive.org]] 
[[Category:1959 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Contemporary philosophical literature]]
[[Category:Philosophy books]]