Charvaka, also known as Lokayata, does not survive today as a living, organized school in the way that some other Indian philosophical traditions do. Its original texts have been largely lost, and what is known of it comes mainly through the writings of its critics and later scholars. There is no continuous teacher–student lineage, no monastic or ritual community, and no identifiable group that formally upholds Charvaka doctrines as a distinct, institutional tradition. In that sense, it has passed out of active practice and exists primarily as a chapter in the history of Indian thought.

Yet its spirit has not vanished without a trace. Charvaka’s materialism, its reliance on sense perception as the primary means of knowledge, its denial of an afterlife, and its skepticism toward the Vedas and supernatural claims continue to echo in certain modern attitudes. Some contemporary thinkers and rationalist or atheist movements in India draw inspiration from this indigenous current of skepticism, even if they do not claim a direct lineage or call themselves Charvaka in any formal way. The term “Charvaka” is sometimes used loosely to describe such materialist or skeptical outlooks, but this is better understood as an analogy than as a continuation of the historical school.

Charvaka thus lives on more as an intellectual and cultural influence than as a formal path to be “practiced.” It is studied in academic and philosophical circles as a significant, if often marginalized, strand within the broader tapestry of Indian philosophy. Individuals who emphasize empirical knowledge, doubt about an afterlife, and a focus on worldly well-being may find their views resonating with Charvaka, though this represents a convergence of ideas rather than adherence to a surviving tradition. In this way, Charvaka functions less as an organized community and more as a remembered voice that continues to challenge assumptions about the supernatural from within the heritage of Indian spirituality.