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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Mīmāmsā Literature
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exposition of Śabara's bhāsya in three parts known as Ślokavārttika (dealing only with the philosophical portion of Sabara's work as contained in the first chapter of the first book known as Tarkapāda), Tantravārttika (dealing with the remaining three chapters of the first book, the second and the third book) and Tupțīkā (containing brief notes on the remaining nine books)'. Kumārila is referred to by his later followers as Bhatta, Bhattapāda, and Vārttikakāra. The next great Mīmāmsā scholar and follower of Kumārila was Mandana Miśra, the author of Vidhiviveka, Mimāmsānukramaṇī and the commentator of Tantravārttika, who became later on converted by Sankara to Vedantism. Pārthasārathi Misra (about ninth century A.D.) wrote his Šāstradīpikā, Tantraratna, and Nyāyaratnamālā following the footprints of Kumārila. Amongst the numerous other followers of Kumārila, the names of Sucarita Misra the author of Kāśikā and Someśvara the author of Nyāyasudhā deserve special notice. Rāmakssna Bhatta wrote an excellent commentary on the Tarkapāda of Sāstradīpikā called the Yuktisnehapūraņā-siddhānta-candrikā and Somanātha wrote his Mayūkhamālikā on the remaining chapters of Sastradīpikā. Other important current Mīmāmsā works which deserve notice are such as Nyāyamālāvistara of Madhava, Subodhini, Mīmāısābālaprakāśa of Sankara Bhatta, Nyāyakaạikā of Vācaspati Miśra, Mimāısāparibhāşa by Krsnayajvan, Mimāınsanyāyaprakāśa by Anantadeva, Gāgā Bhatta's Bhattacintamani, etc. Most of the books mentioned here have been consulted in the writing of this chapter. The importance of the Mimāmsā literature for a Hindu is indeed great. For not only are all Vedic duties to be performed according to its maxims, but even the smrti literatures which regulate the daily duties, ceremonials and rituals of Hindus even at the present day are all guided and explained by them. The legal side of the smộtis consisting of inheritance, proprietory rights, adoption, etc. which guide Hindu civil life even under the British administration is explained according to the Mīmāmsā maxims. Its relations to the Vedānta philosophy will be briefly indicated in the next chapter. Its relations with NyāyaVaisesika have also been pointed out in various places of this chapter. The views of the two schools of Mīmāmsā as propounded by Prabhākara and Kumārila on all the important topics have
1 Mahamahopādhyāya Haraprasada Sastri says, in his introduction to Sir Buddhist Nyaya Tracts, that "Kumarila preceded Sankara by two generations."