Jnanasrimitra And His Work

Author(s): Anantlal Thakur
Publisher: Anantlal Thakur
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/269380/1

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JNANASRIMITRA AND HIS WORKS Prof. Anantatal Thakur. By

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In the history of Indian thought the Buddhist and Brahmanical systems of Logic present a unique picture of parallel development. There is, however, a fundamental difference in their outlook: that between idealism and realism. This led to mutual refutation which continued in an unbroken line for generations of scholars resulting in the growth of a rich and vigorous literature. The Buddhist philosophers had bitter rivalry with other schools of thought also. But nowhere else it is so systematic and of such a long duration as in the case of the Nyayasastra. Each logician tried to uphold the position of his predecessor in the same school by refuting the views of the opponent of the latter in the opposite camp. This rivalry became more and more marked with the progress of time. And it became highly difficult to study the works of one author when those of his immediate predecessors in both the schools were not available. Let us take one example: Vacaspatimisra I wrote his Nyayavartikatatparyatika in order to vindicate the position of Uddyotakara as given in his Nyayavartika. Naturally he criticised the Buddhist philosopher Dharmakirti who in his Pramanavartika had refuted Uddyotakara. Thus Logic was a living science and anything introduced in either of these schools is the result of historical necessity. In the continuous development of these two schools there was so long a big gap between Vacaspatimisral and Udayanacarya and we had no works of any outstanding Buddhist philosopher whose criticism provoked Udayana to vindicate the position of Vacaspati. That there was no such Buddhist work seemed to be impossible, for the Buddhist views criticised in Udayana's works are not found in pre-Vacaspati Buddhist philosophy. Again, those were the heydays of Buddhist philosophers at Nalanda

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Sp. Issue ] JNANASRIMITRA AND HIS WORKS and Vikramasila under the patronage of the Pala rulers of Gauda and Magadha. References, however, show that Jnanasrimitra was an important figure before Udayana. But we were in the dark about his contributions. Tibetan sources, however, inform us that this Jnanasrimitra hailed from Gauda, had a high place of honour among the scholars in Vikramasila and was appointed the second Mahastambha (great pillar) among the gate-keeping scholars of the Vikramasila mahavihara. The great Atisa is said to have sought Jnanasri's advice on esoteric matters before his departure for Tibet. Again, Jnanasri is said to have received special recognition from Naropant at the time of the latter's visit to Vikramasila. We further learn that one of the works of this Jnanasrimitra called the Karyakaranabhavasiddhi is preserved in Tibetan translation. He is again said to have been a disciple of Acarya Dharmapala of Suvarnadvipa. References to and quotations from his works are found in many philosophical works in Sanskrit also. And we find Vadi Devasuri attributing one Apohaprakarana to him. All these go to show the important place he occupied and the recognition his works received till their disappearance from India, after the fifteenth century A.D. When Sankaramisra is found to quote him extensively. The pilgrimages of Mahapandita Rahula Sankrityayana to Tibet have brought within our easy reach a number of works of this Jnanasrimitra along with other valuable works in original Sanskrit and we are now in a position to see how Vacaspatimisra 'was criticised by him and what provoked Udayana to write his Nyayavartikatatparyaparisuddhi and Bauddhadhikara. The photoprints of palm-leaf manuscripts brought by the Mahapandita and preserved in the Bihar Research Society, Patna, show that one bundle of 208 palm-leaves is entirely dedicated to Jnanasri's works. It is written in legible Maithil script 1. Cf. Indian Pandits in Tibet, JBTS. 1893 and History of Indian Logic Vidyabhusana p. 341. 2. 2500 Years of Buddhism p. 230.

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JNANASRIMITRA AND HIS WORKS (J. B. R. 3. of circa 12th century A. D. It consists of the following works: 1. Ksanabhangadhyayat (lb-62a), 2. vyapticarca (1b-9a), 3. Bhedabhedapariksa (lb-2b), 4. Anupalabdhirahasya ( 2b-62, b). 5. Sarvasabdabhavacarca (6, b-8a), 6. Apohaprakarana (8a-20b), 7. Isvaravada ( 205-54b, consting of three sections) (i) Purvapaksa, (ii) Isvaradusana, and (iii) Vartikasaptaslokivyakhyana, 8. Karyakaranabhavasiddhi (446-56a), 9. Yoginirnayaprakarana (56a-65b), 10. Advaitabinduprakarana (65b-72a), 11. Sakarasiddhisastra ( 72a--122b), and 12. Sakarasamgrahasutra (122-137al. Among these Nos. 1, 2, 11 and 12 have been specifically attributed to Joanasrimitra.No. 6 has been quoted and ascribed to our author by Vadi Devasuri. The author also mentions it as his own composition in his Vyapticarca (4a. 4). The Tibetan translation of No. 8 mentions Jnanasrimitra as its author. Nos 7 and 10 also have been referred to by the author as his own works (766 and 96b). That No. 9 is also a work of Jnanasri seems to be certain as it refers to the Sarvajnasiddhi (58a) which is elsewhere mentioned as another work of this author (656 and 114b). The contents of this work (No. 9) seem to show that Ratnakriti, Jnanasri's disciple, utilised it in his Sarvajnasiddhi. The rest are small tracts and betray no clue as regards their authorship. The learned discoverer, however, accepts all these twelve works as Jnanasri's contributions and he designates the entire bundle of MSS. under consideration as Jnanasrinibandhah. No other Mss. of any of the works mentioned above excepti No. 1, has been traced. 1. Noticed in JBRS, XXXVI, pp. 67-69. 2. Rahulji himself discovered a second Ms. of the Ksanabhangadhyaya which has been of immense help in filling up the missing portions in the photoprints.

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Sp. Issue ] JNANASRIMITRA AND HIS WORKS Over and above these, our author refers to a few other works or sections there of as his own of which the Vyaptigrahassamarthanaprastava the Apohaprastava and the Trikapancakacinta seem to be identical with Nos. 2, and 8 of our above list respectively. The Sthananirupana and the Tattvacinta could not be identified. The Sarvajnasiddhi as mentioned before, was another work of this author. The titles of the works give an idea of the vast field traversed by our author. Ksanabhanga, Sakaravada and Isvaravada were the burning topics during those days and he has naturally devoted considerable space to them. Writing on the abstruse philosophical topics, he has never become tiresome. On the other hand, his sense of humour and mastery over the language have made the works attractive. The sakarasamgrahasutra is written entirely in verse. Other works are also interspersed with beautiful verses in a number of metres skillfully used. The initial verse of the Sakarasamgrahasutra reminds us of the nandiisloka of the Veni samhara of Bhattanarayana. It is at the same time a fine instance of double entendre.1 To a student of the History of Philosophy these works are a veritable mine of information. Jnanasri gives us an idea about the richness of the Vikramasila monastery in the Sastric side. That all the important works of Mahayana Buddhism were studied there is proved by the numerous quotations from and references to authors like Maitreyanathapada, Nagarjuna, Asanga, Vasubandhu, Sthiramati, Dignaga, Dharmakirti, Aryasvamin, Pranakaragupta, Dharmottara, Subhagupta, Santideva Arcata etc. etc. 1. Wat ja amigatraktit A: steret sAsUyaM sadasi sthiteSu kRtiSu prakhyAtakItidhvapi / krUranyAyamayo nirAkRtiniyo du:zAsanaH sAMprataM so'yaM madbhajapaJcare nipatitaH saMrakSyatAM kauravAH // 122b. 4. The following are the important Buddhist texts cited : Hetubindu, Pramanavartika, Apohasiddhi of Dbarmottara, Madhyantavibhagasaastra, Abhisamayalamkara, Mahayanottaratantra, Sutralamkara, Sutralamkarabhasya, 'Sandhinirmocana sutra, Pindartha of Dignaga, Candrapradipa and Pajnaparamita,

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JNANASRIMITRA AND HIS WORKS [J. B.R.. Some of the works quoted here have not as yet been found in original Sanskrit while others are extremely rare. One particular author on whose view Jnanasri has devoted considerable space in both the Sakarasiddhi and the. Sakarasamgrahasutra deserves our special attention. He is Kumaranatha or Yuvaraja. Jnanasri gives him a place of eminence by counting him among the great Acaryas of the Vijnanavada School as an associate of Dignaga. Dignaga, as we hear, received much help from Aryamanjussikumarabhuta, who was so long supposed to be a semimythological being. But the quotations and references here seem to bring him down to the concrete land of history.1. The references decide Jnanasrimitra's affiliation also. He belongs to the school of Aryamaitreyanathapada which was successively strengthened by Vasubandhu, Dignaga and Dharmakirti. It is well known that Dhramakirti's Pramanavartika was the basis of three different schools among which Jnanasri belongedto the religious school started by Prajnakaragupta, the author of the Pramanavartikabhasya. 2. He is variously hinted at, cf. yuvarAjarAjaH (72a & 130a) yauvarAjakarAjasya muneH (94a), yuvarAjamauli: (13a), yuvarAjaH (ugb & IRNa) yavarAjanItiH (18b, 132b) and yavarAjanayaH (128a). One chapter in the Sakarasangrahasutra has been devoted to the exposition of the views of Asanga and Yuvaraja. cf. iti dharma kAyasvarUpacintA paryantapravacana-mAryAsaGganyuvarAjoktinirNayo vitiiyH| (128b). This Yuvaraja seems to be identical with Rajakulapada mentioned by Ratnakirti. 1. sAkSAtkhyAta kumAramattimahite majazriyA zAstari prApyoddhadamidaM pravaM prati shishkriiddaankaare'pi.yt| zreyastena jano'yamastu parito niryantramaMtrImaya jJAnazrIvazitopanIta paramAnandaka kndaakur:|| (122b) 2. AryAsaGgamanaGgajidhayavaho yadbhapatIzo'nvazA vAcAyoM vasubandhuruduramatistasyAjJayAvidyutat / dignAgo'ya kumAranAthavihitAsAmAnyasAhAyakastasmin vArtikabhASyakAra kRtinorakhAmavacA sthitiH // . (ugb)

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Sp. Issue] JNANASRIMITRA AND HIS WORKS 7 As a logician Jnanasri had to face eminent Nyaya scholars like Sankara, the author of the Sthirasiddhi; Bhasarvajna, the author of the Nyayabhusana, Trilocana, the author of the Nyayamanjari1 and Vacaspatimisra I who is called sarvatantras vatantra, an independent thinker in all the systems of Brahmanical philosophy. Jnanasri regards these as the four pillars of the edifice of the Varnasrama culture and spares no pains to refute them. Vittoka and Satananda are two more important figures whose views have been criticised in connection with the refutation of the theory of God. We may point out in this connection that these quotations and references are of immense value to a student of logic, since most of the works are lost. Among the Mimamsakas, Kumarila, Kasikakara (Sucaritamisra) and Mahodadhi (author of the Mimams amahodadhi) have been mentioned and the Brhattika (of Kumarila), the Vidhiviveka (of Mandanamisra) and the Nyayakanika (of Vacaspati) have been quoted. We miss here any reference to the Jaina philosophers for want of his contemplated Anekantacinta in refutation of the Jaina theory of non-absolutism. Nothing shows that he actually wrote it. . The influence of Jnanasri has been left in all the three branches of Indian Logic-Brahmanical, Buddhist and Jaina. In the Brahmanical side we find Udayana's Bauddhaddhikkara otherwise called the Atmatattvaviveka devoted mainly to the refutation of the views of Jnanasri as found in the Ksanabhang adhyaya and the Sakarasiddhisastra. His Nyayavartikatatparyaparisuddhi also criticises Jnanasri. The Kiranavali gives a summary of his views on momentariness. Gangesa quotes a verse from the Ksanabhangadhyaya in the Fattvacintamani, Sankaramisra was conversant with the works of our author. He mentions Jnanasrimitra as an authority on Buddhist philosophy along with Dignaga, Dharma 1. Nyayamanjari of Guru Trilocana JBRS. Vol. XII 2, cf * * * vyavasthita pratisandhAtRvAvastu prastoSyate 'nekAntacintAyAma / (kSaNabhaGgAdhyAye 4b. 6)

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JNANASRIMITRA AND HIS WORKS (J. B. R. s. kirti and Prajnakara. Sankara's Atmatattvavivekakalpalata extensively quotes passages from the Kasabhargadhyaya and the Sakarasiddhi. The Ksanabhangadhyaya has been utilised by Madhavacarya in the Sarvadarsanasanagraha. Among the Buddhists, Ratnakirti has summarised the Ksanabhangadhyaya, Vyapticarca, Apohaprakarana and Isvaravada respectively in his Ksnabhangasiddhis (I and II), Vyaptinirnaya, Apohasiddhi and Isvara sadhanadusana. Again Ratnakirti's Sarvajnasiddhi seems to be based on the Yoginirnaya and the Sarvajnasiddhi of Jnanasri. His Citradvaitaprakasavada presupposes the Sakarasiddhi of Jnanasrimitra. Moksakara of Jagaddalavihara also quotes Jnanasrimitra as an authority in his Tarkabhasa. * The Jaina logician Vadi Deva quotes our author several times and as we have seen before refers to the Apohaprakarana by name in his Syadvadaratnakara. Devabhadra quotes him. It may be noted in this connection that our author is to be distinguished from Jnanasribhadra of Kasmira, who wrote the Pramanaviniscayatika now preserved in Tibetan translation. Whether our author wrote any commentary on any of the works of Dharmakirti is not known. But his elaborate exposition on the seven verses of the Promanavartika dealing with the refutation of God and his upholding the views of Dharmakirti and Prajnakara justify his claim that he has made the position of both free from undeserved attacks arfaqs775475 fanta Tu feefari. Io Vadivinoda, p. 554