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Manu Smriti 11.66

11.66. Stealing grain, base metals, or cattle, intercourse with women who drink spirituous liquor, slaying women, Sudras, Vaisyas, or Kshatriyas, and atheism, (are all) minor offences, causing loss of caste (Upapataka).

So if someone becomes an atheist he will loss his cast.

But Samkhya school of thought is a atheist school. They believe in God.

If a person is following Samkhya school will he lose his cast. Or will he be committing minor.

The source of this verse is a question I found on this website.

Dark Knight
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  • Atheism is defined as non belief in vedas. All six schools of hinduism believe in vedas. Some say authorless, non-eternal, some say otherwise but all six schools believe in the validity of vedas. – GIRIBLR Apr 21 '21 at 11:03
  • @GIRIBLR Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. – Dark Knight Apr 21 '21 at 11:40
  • @GIRIBLR so atheistism means no God – Dark Knight Apr 21 '21 at 11:40
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    That's the modern definition. In sanatana dharma, atheism means not belief in Vedas. Like jains and buddhism. Mimansa also does not believe in ishvara, but is a school of sanatana dharma. All six schools and subschools believe in vedas. That's the definition to be included in sanatana dharma. – GIRIBLR Apr 21 '21 at 11:44
  • @GIRIBLR okay thanks for it – Dark Knight Apr 21 '21 at 11:56
  • @GIRIBLR Astika/Nastika don't mean faith/no-faith in Vedas. If that's the meaning then that's unnaturally derived one. Those who don't believe in existence of divinity, after life are Nastika and the opposite of that is Astika. See this: https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/37187/4732 – Rickross Apr 21 '21 at 13:11
  • Manu Smriti is not condemning Samkhya at all. See the link I gave above to understand which kind of people Manu is condemning. Its the Charvaks and similar type of people who don't believe in the existence of after life, divinity, divine justice/punishment etc @DarkKnight – Rickross Apr 21 '21 at 13:13
  • you are misinterpreting the Samkhya philosophy and also conflating it with Manu smriti. The Samkhya school was a philosophical school, whereas the Manu Smriti is a guide to daily life. Read the first two pages of Chapter 9 on Samkhya here - https://archive.org/details/IndianPhilosophyACriticalSurvey – Swami Vishwananda Apr 22 '21 at 11:23

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Manu Smriti verse correct translation goes like this

Stealing grain, base metals and cattle,—intercourse with women addicted to drinking wine,—killing women, Śūdras, Vaiśyas and Kṣatriyas,—and heresy,—everyone of these is a ‘minor offence.’(Manu 11.66)

Commentary of Medhatithi reads

Heresy— the holding of such opinions as ‘there is no heaven,—there is no virtue in charity’ and so forth.

According to Manu Smriti, Atheism/Heresy means lack of faith in Vedas.

He shall, avoid atheism, cavilling at the Vedas, abusing of the gods, hatred, haughtiness, pride, anger and hastiness.(Manu 4.163)

Commentary of Medhatithi reads

‘Atheism’ consists in thinking, as untrue, of things that are spoken of in the Veda.

Since Samkhya accepts authority of Vedas, following Samkhya isn't bad. Also Gita says

Of all trees I am the holy fig tree, and amongst sages and demigods I am Narada. Of the singers of the gods I am Citraratha, and among perfected beings I am the sage Kapila.(BG 10.26)

Sethu Srivatsa Koduru
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    So people who reject vedas are atheist(according to manu Smriti), so Christians are also atheist according to manu Smriti. – Dark Knight Apr 21 '21 at 14:34
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    Thanks for the answer – Dark Knight Apr 21 '21 at 14:34
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    @Dark knight if belief in God is required for astika, mimansa will become nastika. If belief in after life is only required, then Buddhism will become astika. But we know mimansa is astika and Buddhism is nastika. So setu answer is correct. It is a great answer. – GIRIBLR Apr 21 '21 at 15:57
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    @DarkKnight Probably not. Those statements of Manu were written to denounce guys who don't believe in Vedas. Or encourage belief in Vedas. Christians don't know Vedas to denounce it. We have a Skanda Purana verse saying all religions read to truth. I think you remember it – Sethu Srivatsa Koduru Apr 21 '21 at 16:03