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94
Studies in Haribhadrasūri
Vimśatiḥ ślokāḥ parimāṇaṁ yasyāḥ sā vimsatiḥ, vimśatīnām vimśatiḥ yasyām sā viṁśati-vimśatikā//
It is not unlikely that Haribhadrasuri was influenced by the titles of the Buddhist texts in choosing titles for a few of his works. His titles Saḍ-darśana-samuccaya and Śāstra-vārtāsamuccaya, remind us of the Buddhist works like Dinnāga's Pramāṇa-samuccaya and Asangas Abhidharma-samuccaya. His works Dharma-bindu reminds us of Dinnaga's Nyaya-bindu. The title of the present work Vimśati-vimśatikā reminds us of Vasubandhu's Vimśikā and Trimśikā.
Regarding the two forms of the title, both are grammatically correct. We come cross similar titles in the Brahmanical literature also. Simhasana-dvātrimśatikā (Twenty-two Stories about the Throne), and Vetāla-pañcaviṁśatikā (Twenty-five Stories of Vetāla) are well known throughout India.
The Contents: Haribhadrasuri chooses to present his readers the following twenty topics in Twenty Sets of Twenties. He lists the following topics in the first Vimsikā (called AdhikaraVimśikā):
1. Adhikara-List of the topics dealt with in the VV.
2. Lokānāditva-Beginninglessness of the World.
3. Kula-nīti-loka-dharma-Family traditions and popular customs of the country.
4. Carama Parivarta-The last existence, preceding Liberation.
5. Tad-bījādi-karma-The seed, etc., of the Tree of
6. Samyaktva-Description of Samyaktva from the practical point of view.
7. Dana-vidhi-The Mode of Charity (its three kinds). 8. Pūjā-vidhi-The Mode of Worship.
Dharma.
