Tibetan Citations Of Bhartrharis Verses And Problem Of His Date

SR No.: 269718
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hajime Nakamura
Publisher: Hajime Nakamura
Total Pages: 15
Language: English
Classification: Article
File Size: 2 MB

Page 15

BHARTRHARI'S VERSES 135 must have lived a little earlier than Gunamati (1992).40 The latter must have lived prior to Paramartha's arrival in Kuang-tung in China in 546 A. D. and carlier than Sthiramati. Sthiramati must have lived in the sixth century 42 or according to Dr.Ui, c.470_550.43 Winternitz assigns him to the fifth century.44 Recently Professor Hikata has surmised that the date of Dignaga is about 440 520.45 It is generally admitted that Asvabhava lived earlier than Dharmapala and later than Dignaga. He lived, according to Dr. Ui, c. 450-530 A. D., 46 and, according to Prof. Hikata, c. 470-550 A. D.47 Bhavya was almost contemporary with Buddhapalita (c. 400-450?).48 He is regarded to have lived and worked at the beginning of the fifth century A. D.49 According to Dr. Ui, he lived c. 490-570.50 In any case he was an elder contemporary of Dharmapala. The date of Dharmapala (?) has precisely been fixed. He lived 530-561 A. D.51 So we can assuredly say that Bharthari must not have lived later than these Buddhist scholars. It has become clear that the statement of I-tsing that Bhartshari died some forty years before the date of his record is incorrect, It is, however, doubtless the case that Bhartphari lived after Vasubandhu, as is clear from the above-cited materials. Vasubandhu is generally regarded to have lived in the fourth century,52 or in the latter half of the fourth century:53 According to Dr. Ui, Vasubandhu lived c. 320~400.54 According to Prof. Hikata, he lived c. 400-480.55 Frauwallner asserted the existence of two Vasubandhus, ascribing the elder to 320/380 A. D. and the younger to 400480 A. D.56 Such has been the extent of the debate about his date. So, taking these facts into account, we are brought to the conclusion that Bhartshari, the author of the Vakyapadiya, must have lived c. 450-500 A. D. 40 * BIDW *', vol. V, pp. 142-145. 4 Cf. ibid., p. 136. . * Filliozat: op. cit., p. 380. - H. Ui: op. cit., p. 136. HM. Winternitz: History of Indian Literature, vol. II. University of Calcutta, 1933. pp. 362-363. 45 FS ALE: LEF# (CEDEPE MEL E . U os , h t , p.321). 45 H. Ui: op. cit., p. 147. 7 R. Hikata : ob. cit., p.321. 18 J. Filliozat: op. cit., p. 379. 49 M. Winternitz: History, etc. II, p. 362. 50 H. Ui: op. cit., pp. 148-149. 51 H. Ui: op. cit., pp. 128-132; R. Hikata : op. cit., p. 321. 52 M. Winternitz: History, etc. II, p. 355 f. 53 J. Filliozat: op. cit., II, p.380. 5. H. Ui: "op. cit,", vol. I, pp. 413-414. 83 R. Hikata : op. cit. pp. 315 f. 55 E. Frauwallner: Or the Date of the Buddhist Alaster of the Law Vasubandhu. Roma 1951. All different views about Vasubandhu's date have been mentioned in this work. . 11, p. 355 f. 51 H. Vi ut: op. cit., Ir