Nastika facts for kids
Astika and Nastika are special words used in Hinduism to sort out different ways of thinking and groups of people. These terms help us understand if a certain idea or group accepts the ancient Vedas as the most important and true scriptures.
If a school of thought accepts the Vedas as the highest authority, it's called astika. If it doesn't, it's called nastika.
For example, some astika schools are Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Purva Mimamsa, and Vedanta. These all believe in the authority of the Vedas.
On the other hand, Charvaka, Jainism, and Buddhism are seen as nastika schools because their beliefs don't come from the Vedas.
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What are Astika and Nastika?
The words astika and nastika come from Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language.
- Astika means "orthodox" or "one who exists."
- Nastika means "heterodox" or "one who does not exist."
In simple terms, astika means "Veda-accepting," and nastika means "Veda-rejecting." This is the main way these terms are used in Hindu philosophy.
Different Meanings
Sometimes, people might loosely translate astika as "theist" (someone who believes in God) and nastika as "atheist" (someone who doesn't believe in God). However, this isn't always correct when talking about Hindu philosophy.
For example, some astika schools, like Samkhya and early Mimamsa, don't actually believe in a personal God. But they still accept the Vedas as true. So, they are considered "atheistic astika schools." This shows that believing in God isn't the main point for being called astika or nastika in Hindu philosophy. It's all about whether you accept the Vedas.
Nastika Schools
The three main nastika (heterodox) schools of Indian philosophy do not base their beliefs on the authority of the Vedas. They developed their own ideas and scriptures.
- Buddhism: This religion was started by Gautama Buddha. It focuses on understanding suffering and finding peace through meditation and ethical living.
- Jainism: This ancient religion was founded by Mahavira. It teaches non-violence towards all living things and self-control.
- Carvaka: This was a materialist school of thought. It believed that only what can be seen and touched is real. It did not believe in an afterlife or spiritual concepts.
Historians explain that during the time when the Upanishads (part of the Vedas) were being formed and Buddhism and Jainism were rising, there were many groups of people who practiced meditation. Some of these groups accepted the Vedas, and some didn't. The groups like Buddhism and Jainism, which didn't accept the Vedas, were naturally seen as nastika by the astika Brahmanical traditions.
Tantra and these Ideas
The Tantric traditions within Hinduism also have both astika and nastika parts. Tantra is a set of spiritual practices and rituals.
- Astika Tantras follow Vedic ideas.
- Nastika Tantras do not follow Vedic ideas.
Within the astika Tantras, there are further divisions based on which deity is mainly worshipped. These include Śākta (worshipping the Goddess), Śaiva (worshipping Shiva), Saura (worshipping the Sun God), Gāṇapatya (worshipping Ganesha), and Vaiṣṇava (worshipping Vishnu).
Related Ideas
See also
In Spanish: Ástika y nástika para niños
