History of Indian Philosophy

SR No.: 007593
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Surendranath Dasgupta
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Publication Year: 1922
Total Pages: 2517
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 125 MB

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VIII]
Nyāya Literature
307
been definitely settled, but there is reason to believe that he lived some time in the beginning of the fourth century A.D. Jacobi places him in 300 A.D. Udyotakara (about 635 A.D.) wrote a Värttika on Vátsyāyana's bhāsya to establish the Nyāya views and to refute the criticisms of the Buddhist logician Dinnāga (about 500 A.D.) in his Pramāṇasainuccaya. Vācaspatimiśra (840 A.D.) wrote a sub-commentary on the Nyayavarttika of Udyotakara called Nyāyavārttikatātparyațīkā in order to make clear the right meanings of Udyotakara's Vārttika which was sinking in the mud as it were through numerous other bad writings (dustarakunibandhapankamagnānām). Udayana (984 A.D.) wrote a sub-commentary on the Tātparyațīkā called Tātparyațīkāparisuddhi. Varddhamāna (1225 A.D.) wrote a sub-commentary on that called the Nyāyanibandhaprakāśa. Padmanābha wrote a sub-commentary on that called Varddhamānendu and Sankara Miśra (1425 A.D.) wrote a sub-commentary on that called the Nyāyatātparyamandana. In the seventeenth century Viśvanātha wrote an independent short commentary known as Visvanāthavrtti, on the Nyāya sutra, and Rādhāmohana wrote a separate commentary on the Nyāya sūtras known as Nyāyasútravivarana. In addition to these works on the Nyāya sūtras many other independent works of great philosophical value have been written on the Nyāya system. The most important of these in medieval times is the Nyāyamañjarī of Jayanta (880 A.D.), who flourished shortly after Vācaspatimisra. Jayanta chooses some of the Nyaya sūtras for interpretation, but he discusses the Nyāya views quite independently, and criticizes the views of other systems of Indian thought of his time. It is far more comprehensive than Vācaspati's Tātparyatīkā, and its style is most delightfully lucid. Another important work is Udayana's Kusuināñjali in which he tries to prove the existence of Iśvara (God). This work ought to be read with its commentary Prakāśa by Varddhamāna (1225 A.D.) and its sub-commentary Makaranda by Rucidatta (1275 A.D.). Udayana's Atmatattvaviveka is a polemical work against the Buddhists, in which he tries to establish the Nyāya doctrine of soul. In addition to these we have a number of useful works on Nyāya in later times. Of these the following deserve special mention in connection with the present work. Bhāṣāpariccheda by Visvanātha with its commentaries Muktavali, Dinakari and Ramarudri, Tarkasamgraha with Ayāyanirnaya, Tarkabhāsā of Keśava Miśra with