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XXV
needed is clear-cut evidence such as the Nyā. being quoted by name and a quotation from it being attributed to Divākara by authors or works who or which are definitely earlier than Dharmakīrti. Counter opinions to disprove opinions expressed earlier often prove weaker in strength and less acceptable. The earliest author, as far as I know, who specifies the name of Siddhasena Divākara as the author of the Nyāyāvatāra is Santisūri of the 11th century A.D. or so.
vi) The anyathānupapannatya characteristic of the Hetu (Nyā.22) is attributed to Pātrasvāmi (=Pātrakesari) He is earlier than Akalańka and Sāntarakṣita. As yet, as far as I know, no evidence is brought forth to show that this characteristic of the Hetu is earlier than Pātrakesari.
As a Vādin and Kavi, Siddhasena Diyākara is undoubtedly the author of the Sanmati and most of the Dvātrirnsikās; and his date is to be fixed only in the light of these facts. He is earlier than Haribhadra (c. 750-800 A.D.), Jinadāsagaại Mahattara (A.D. 676) and Jinabhadra (c. 609 A.D.); and it is highly probable that he belonged to the Gupta period as a contemporary of Chandragupta (II) Vikramāditya (c. 376-414). Some other Siddhasena, alias Kumudacandra, composed the Kalyāṇamandira and Cikura-dvātrisikā; and the Dvā. No. 21, as accepted by all, is the composition of some other Siddhasena. For reasons noted above, the question of the date and authorship of the Nyāyāvatāra has to remain open for further research and investigation.
CHARLOTTE KRAUSE has fluently appreciated Siddhasena Divākara as a logician, a politico, a Jaina Sādhu and a court poet; and I feel like quoting her
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