Is God really dead in Sāṃkhya? A Naturalist Interpretation of the Turn to Atheism in Early Classical Sāṃkhya

Traditional Indian commentators and modern scholars alike frequently construe Sāṃkhya atheism in terms that resonate with the modern scientific rejection of intelligent design. This paper corrects certain misreadings of prakṛti in early Sāṃkhya as mere materiality—that is, a materiality that is reducible to parts, moves according to fixed causal patterns, and remains motionless unless acted upon by an outside force. It shows that early Sāṃkhyans theorized prakṛti (nature) as a living, purposive being whose unfolding manifestations are not only well-coordinated but trustworthy when seen in the context of nature’s own creative agency. Thus viewed in the context of a naturalistic spirituality without trust in God, early Sāṃkhya atheism sought to ground our faith in life itself instead of outsourcing it to an external agent.