Cārvāka and Aajivika Sects

The nāstika (heterodox) schools don’t draw upon the Vedas as the sole primary authoritative text, but may emphasize other traditions of thought. The main nāstika schools are Cārvāka (pronounced Charvaka) and Ajivika.

Charvaka School

This system was originally called Lokayat or Brahaspatya. This school may be called one of the oldest school of Indian materialism. It rejects Vedas, rejects ritualism of Vedas and does not believe in god or any other super natural power. Ajita Kesakambali is thought to be the first Caravaka while Brihaspati is called its founder. Most of its literature is now lost and it is also not a living tradition as of now.

Aajivika

Ajivikas are followers of the doctrine of immutability or pre-determined belonging to the religious order or sect founded by Gosala Mankhaliputta, a senior contemporary of buddha and mahavira. The basic theme of ajivikism is the doctrine of niyati or destiny. The main source of information on ajivikism is Bhagwati Sutra.