Jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam. And āstikyam means full faith in the Vedic literature. That is called āstikya. Āstikya generally is called theism. So if one has full faith and full knowledge in Vedas, he becomes theist. If he has no sufficient knowledge in the Vedas, he becomes atheist. So just like Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, veda nā māniyā bauddha haila nāstika. The Buddhists, they did not accept the authority of the Vedas. Therefore they are called nāstika, or atheist. That is the definition, that if you do not accept the authority of the Vedas, then you become atheist. So this is the brahminical.... One of the brahminical qualification is how to live under the Vedic civilization. That is brāhmaṇa.
Called nastika
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
The Buddhists, they did not accept the authority of the Vedas. Therefore they are called nāstika, or atheist.
Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974: | Page Title: | Called nastika |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 03 of Jul, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=12, Con=2, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 14 |