Facts about the Charvaka and Ajivika communities

The Charvaka and Ajivika communities had protested against the Brahmins and Brahmanism even before the Jains and Buddhists. None of them considered the authority of the Vedas to be absolute. The Charvaka were against the varnasrama tradition. They did not believe in the concept of heaven or the sacrifice of animals. The Ajivika community was formed by Mankhliputta Gosal. It is known that he was Mahavira's friend. Ajivikas didn't believe in any form of God our the Vedas. They didn't believe that people get good resting in life only by doing good work. No religious text of the Ajivikas has been found. They had received the patronage Mauryan emperor Ashoka and Bimbisara as well.