1At Sāvatthī. Then a brahmin who was a cosmologist [n.128] Lokayatika. Spk says that he was versed in lokayata, the science of debate (vitaṇḍasatthe lokāyate kataparicayo). Spk-pṭ explains the etymology of the word thus: "Lokāyata is so called because by means of this the world does not strive for, does not advance towards, future welfare (āyatiṁ hitaṁ tena loko na yatati na īhatī ti lokāyataṁ). For on account of this belief, beings do not arouse even the thought of doing deeds of merit, much less do they make the effort."
Spk-pṭ's explanation seems to reflect the understanding of lokāyata held at the time of the commentaries, as seen in MW's definition of the word as "materialism, the system of atheistical philosophy (taught by Carvaka)." There is cogent evidence, however, that the word acquired these connotations only in a later period. As Rhys Davids points out in a detailed discussion (at Dialogues of the Buddha, 1:166–72), lokayāta is used in the Nikāyas in a complimentary sense to designate a branch of brahmanical learning (as at DN I 88,7, 114,3, etc.). He suggests that the word originally meant nature-lore and only gradually acquired the negative meaning of sophistry and materialism. Jayatilleke has proposed that since the word is always used with reference to loka, the world, or sabba, the all, it originally signified, not nature-lore in general, but cosmology, and that the arrangement of lokāyata theses in opposing pairs indicates that the brahmins used the rival cosmological theories as topics of debate (Early Buddhist Theory of Knowledge, pp. 48–57). approached the Blessed One … and said to him:

2"How is it, Master Gotama: does all exist?"
"‘All exists’: this, brahmin, is the oldest cosmology." [n.129] Jeṭṭhaṁ etaṁ lokāyataṁ. Spk glosses jeṭṭhaṁ with paṭhamaṁ and explains: "Lokāyata is an inferior, tainted speculative view that appears great and deep" (mahantaṁ gambhiran ti upaṭṭhitaṁ parittaṁ sāsavāṁ diṭṭhigataṁ; reading as in Se, which seems more reliable here than Be).

3"Then, Master Gotama, does all not exist?"
"‘All does not exist’: this, brahmin, is the second cosmology."

4"How is it, Master Gotama: is all a unity?" [n.130] Ekattaṁ. Spk: He asks whether it has a permanent nature (niccasabhāva); the first and third views are forms of the eternalist view (sassatadiṭṭhi).
"‘All is a unity’: this, brahmin, is the third cosmology."

5"Then, Master Gotama, is all a plurality?" [n.131] Puthuttaṁ. Spk: This means a nature different from the previous nature; the second and fourth views are forms of the annihilationist view (ucchedadiṭṭhi).
"‘All is a plurality’: this, brahmin, is the fourth cosmology.

6Without veering towards either of these extremes, the Tathāgata teaches the Dhamma by the middle.

With ignorance as condition, volitional formations come to be;
with volitional formations as condition, consciousness;
with consciousness as condition, name-and-form;
with name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases;
with the six sense bases as condition, contact;
with contact as condition, feeling;
with feeling as condition, craving;
with craving as condition, clinging;
with clinging as condition, existence;
with existence as condition, birth;
with birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be.

Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.

But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance comes cessation of volitional formations;
with the cessation of volitional formations, cessation of consciousness;
with the cessation of consciousness, cessation of name-and-form;
with the cessation of name-and-form, cessation of the six sense bases;
with the cessation of the six sense bases, cessation of contact;
with the cessation of contact, cessation of feeling;
with the cessation of feeling, cessation of craving;
with the cessation of craving, cessation of clinging;
with the cessation of clinging, cessation of existence;
with the cessation of existence, cessation of birth;
with the cessation of birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair cease.

Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.

7When this was said, that brahmin said to the Blessed One: "Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent, Master Gotama! The Dhamma has been made clear in many ways by Master Gotama, as though he were turning upright what had been turned upside down, revealing what was hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, or holding up a lamp in the dark for those with eyesight to see forms.

I go for refuge to Master Gotama, and to the Dhamma, and to the Bhikkhu Saṅgha. Let Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who from today has gone for refuge for life."

1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati. Atha kho lokāyatiko brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā … pe … ekamantaṁ nisinno kho lokāyatiko brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

2"Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, sabbamatthī"ti?
"‘Sabbamatthī’ti kho, brāhmaṇa, jeṭṭhametaṁ lokāyataṁ".

3"Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, sabbaṁ natthī"ti?
"‘Sabbaṁ natthī’ti kho, brāhmaṇa, dutiyametaṁ lokāyataṁ".

4"Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, sabbamekattan"ti?
"‘Sabbamekattan’ti kho, brāhmaṇa, tatiyametaṁ lokāyataṁ".

5"Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, sabbaṁ puthuttan"ti?
"‘Sabbaṁ puthuttan’ti kho, brāhmaṇa, catutthametaṁ lokāyataṁ.

6Ete te, brāhmaṇa, ubho ante anupāgamma majjhena tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti:

‘avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā; saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ … pe …

Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho; saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho … pe …

Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī’"ti.

7Evaṁ vutte, lokāyatiko brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama … pe … ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.