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२६
Jainas could still pursue their way of life in relatively calm religious environment. It is true that Rāmānuja's Vaisnava sect was already powerful in the beginning of the 12th century. However, their argument was mainly turned against the Sankara School of Vedānta, and even the King Vişņuvardhana (1110-41 A. D.) who was converted from Jaina dharma to Vaisnava belief (?) is said to have shown tolerance to the other religions. Now, Amitagati is generally placed as the contemporary of Nemicandra, i. e., as of flourished in c.a. 1,000 A.D. It is hard to calculate how much temporal distance should be allowed between Amitagati and Bhaskaranandi. However, it may be safe enough to assume the upper limit of Bhaskaranandi's date as of the early 11th century. Then, we might be able to assign Bhaskaranandi's flourished date broadly somewhere from the early 11th through the early 12th century. By the term flourished date, it is meant here specifically as the date of his Dhyānastava. However, Tattvarthavṛtti must have been completed shortly before that, hence it can be said as the date of his two works which are now existent.
III. AUTHOR
Bhaskaranandi is the author of Tattvarthavṛtti and Dhyānastava, which are his only titles known to us existent at present. He was, no doubt, a learned scholar, well acquainted with the works, e.g., Samadhiśątaka, Dhyanasataka, Yaśastilaka, Dravyasangraha, Gommaṭasāra, Śrāvakācāra, and of course, with Aṣṭādhyāyi, Jainendravyākaraṇa, Sarvārthasiādhi, Rajavārtika, and Ślokavārtika.
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