Nirisvaravada
Nirisvaravada, in Hinduism, translates to “doctrine of no God” or “atheism”. It specifically refers to the rejection of a creator god, though not necessarily a denial of all deities or spiritual concepts. Certain schools of Hindu philosophy, like Samkhya and Mimamsa, are considered Nirisvaravadi because they do not posit a creator god.
- Meaning: Nirīśvaravāda literally means “statement of no Lord” or “doctrine of godlessness”. It’s the Sanskrit term for atheism within the context of Hinduism.
- Acceptance within Hinduism: While Hinduism generally accepts various spiritual and philosophical viewpoints, including atheism, the path of the atheist is considered more challenging in spiritual matters.
- Nirisvaravada vs. Astika/Nastika: In ancient Sanskrit, “astika” referred to those who accepted the authority of the Vedas, while “nastika” denoted those who did not. This is distinct from the modern usage where “astika” is often equated with “theist” and “nastika” with “atheist”.
- Schools of thought: Some astika (orthodox) schools of Hindu philosophy, such as Nyaya, Vaisheshika, and some branches of Vedanta, do believe in a creator god. However, other schools, like Samkhya and Mimamsa, do not, and are therefore considered Nirisvaravadi.
- Non-theistic vs. Atheistic: Some interpret Nirīśvaravāda as a non-theistic stance rather than a strict atheistic one, as it doesn’t necessarily negate the existence of all deities or spiritual concepts, but rather rejects the idea of a creator god.
AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://www.learnreligions.com/are-there-any-atheistic-religions-248415
[3] wikipedia/en/Hindu_atheism
[4] https://www.quora.com/What-are-your-thoughts-on-Hindu-atheism
[5] https://www.reddit.com/r/hinduism/comments/1bd32bc/is_this_true/
[6] https://www.reddit.com/r/hinduism/comments/1bd32bc/is_this_true/