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4 DWĀTRIMSIKAS OF SIDDHASENA .
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brief but clever survey of the art of debate. At the time of Socrates, and even before him, this art of debate had developed to a remarkable degree among the ancient Greeks. The teachers and instructors in this art were called Sophists and they used to give instructions to the Greek youths in delivering speeches before the public and undertaking controversies. This teaching consisted of refuting the views of the rival party and establishing one's own views. Like the Greeks, even the Brahmins in ancient India undertook serious debates in sacrificial halls. At the time of Upanişads also, auch debates frequently occurred. When these debates became the fashion of the day, a technique arose out of it and the different methods of controversy such as Vāda, Jalpa and Vitaņdā, developed greatly. The development of this technique ultimately culminated in special treatises? which testify to the propagandist
the works of Kalidāsa. Not that this method, of inferring the date of an author ou the strength of some peculiar words in his work, is utterly useless ; yet it should be used with great caution. If the date of an author can be definitely determined by other strong proofs such words can be mentioned as additional evidence for the date. This method of giving the proof of words can be relied upon independently. We have already shown that Sidhhasena must have lived prior to Dharmakirti. The evidence of such words as are mentioned above does not help us much in determing the date of Siddhasena.
1 See Nyåyadarsana 2. 1. 1–3. and Nagarjuna's Vigrahavyāvartani, Yogacara Bhūmis ästra and Prakaraņāryavāca-in this connection read "Buddhist Logic before Dinnaga"--J. R. A. S. July 1929 p. 457).
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