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Jaina Epistemology and Logic: Development and Doctrines
Philosophers after Akalanka
The Jaina philosophers contributing to Indian epistemology after Bhatta Akalanka are : Vidyānanda, Anantavīrya, Māņikyanandin, Vādirāja, Abhayadevasūri, Prabhācandra, Vādidevasūri, Hemacandra, Abhinava Dharmabhūṣaṇa, Guṇaratnasūri, Mallişena, Vimaladāsa and Yasovijaya. Since it is not possible to discuss the contributions of all these logicians, it would be proper to appraise the contributions of the prominent logicians.
Vidyananda (775-840), the first commentator of Akalanka, was a profound philosopher deeply acquainted with Jaina and other systems of Indian philosophy. He put forth a step to establish the Jaina pramāna śāstra logically. He wrote three commentaties viz. Tattvärthaślokavārttika on the Tattvārthasūtra of Umāsvāti, Aṣṭasahasrī on Aṣṭasati of Bhaṭṭa Akalanka and Yuktyanuśāśanālaṁkāra on Yuktyanuśāsana of Samantabhadra.
In these commentaries he has cogently established the Jaina philosophy and has refuted other systems. Tattvärthaślokavārṭīkā, a commentary on the Tattvārthasutra, presents an exhaustive description of Jaina epistemology. He has discussed all the five types of knowledge. He also deals with perception, recollection (smaraṇa), recognition (pratyabhijñāna), reasoning (tarka), inference (anumāna) and testimony (agama). Aṣṭasahāsrī having thousand stanzas expounds Aptamīmāmsā of Samantabhadra and Aṣṭaśatī of Akalanka, but Aṣṭaśahasrī has become a kaṣṭasahasri, having thousands troubles because its comprehension is an uphill task. Yuktyanuśasanālaǹkāra is an important work for understanding the Jaina philosophy in general.
