Influence Of Buddhist Logic On Alamkara Shastra

SR No.: 269381
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Anantlal Thakur
Publisher: Anantlal Thakur
Total Pages: 5
Language: English
Classification: Article
File Size: 341 KB

Page 5

INFLUENCE OF BUDDHIST LOGIC ON ALAMKARA SASTRA 261 These internal evidences render it obvious that the relation between the two systems is more than casual. It was thought, though without sufficient ground, that the Buddhist philosophers like Dharmakirtti and others made important contributions to Indian Rhetorics. There are references to Sauddhodani--a rhetorician and Rahula-a dramaturgist. Bhamaha also has been called a Buddhist. But Mm. Dr. P. V. Kane could not accept the suggestion of Dharmakirtti being a rhetorician for want of sufficient proof 11. The contributions of Sauddhodani and Rahula do not seem to be great and grave doubt is entertained regarding Bhamaha's religious faith. Hence we are inclined to hold that the influence was indirect rather than direct though it was strong. It has been shown elsewhere that the school of Dinnaga is responsible to bring about drastic changes in all the speculative systems of India 12. It may also be said that the Buddhist Philosophers replaced blind faith by pure reason in Indian thought. The orthodox philosophers coming after Dinnaga and Dharmakirtti had to refashion their outlook and important additions aud alterations were made in every system. The Alamkarasastra also cannot be an exception. It has many things in common with the Buddhist philosophers-the relation between the words and their import being one such important topic. We find Buddhist thinkers making important contributions on this item. Thus independent works on this topic like the Sabdarthacintavivrti of Ratnasrijnana of Ceylon are heard of 13. The Buddhist definitions in almost all the cases were precise and their terminology very rich and all-embracing. Moreover as the land where Alamkarasastra thrived more than anywhere else. It was Kashmir where Buddhist Logic and Philosophy also flourished a bit earlier and formed an important item in the curriculum. Hence it is but natural that the rhetoricians should take recourse to the Buddhist means and methods of thought and quote from Buddhist works whenever they were found useful. It may be added in this context that Brahmanical logic for a time was overshadowed by its Buddhist counterpart to be revived subsequently by scholars like Vacaspati Misra and others. But the Buddhistic elements made a permanent impression on the Alamkarasastra in its hay days and continued to exert the same influence unabatingly even long after the decline of Buddhism in India. 14 11 History. Sans. Poetics 12 Introduction to the Ratnakirttinibandhavali-KPJ Institute, '57. 18 Kavyalaksana of Dandin, Mithila Institute, 1957, p. 143. 14 I am glad to note that Professor Sivaprasad Bhattacharya has written an illuminating article on the same subject-Neo-Buddhist Nucleus in Alamkarasastra, JASB, Vol. XXII, 1956 which came to my notice when the above note was prepared. It is hoped that this note will be accepted as a supplement to Prof. Bhattacharya's learned paper.