AbstractsPhilosophy & Theology

Summary This thesis is a translation of the 10th century Jain philosophical Sanskrit text Satyaśāsanaparīkṣā, composed by Vidyānandin. The text, not all of which has survived, presents and refutes 12 Indian philosophical systems, the most important of which are Sautrāntika and Yogācāra Buddhism, Advaita Vedānta, Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika, Sāṃkhya, Mīmāṃsā and Cārvāka. Criticizing these from the standpoint of the Jain anekāntavāda (theory of manysidedness), Vidyānandin aims to establish the superior status of Jain philosophy. In addition to providing an English translation of this text from the Sanskrit, with explanatory notes, it also places it in the context of Jain philosophy and investigates the arguments Vidyānandin employs in his refutations of his rivals. The doctrines Vidyānandin ascribes to his rivals are also examined and compared to presentations of their doctrines in secondary literature on Indian philosophy and in some cases to how these doctrines are presented in the original literature of the schools in question. Some issues are highlighted as requiring further research. The thesis also shows considerable influence from Vidyānandin’s predecessors Samantabhadra and Akalaṅka on Vidyānandin’s argumentation. The clearest example of this influence is shown on comparing the sections of the Satyaśāsanaparīkṣā in which Vidyānandin quotes the Āptamīmāṃsā of Samantabhadra (ca 600 CE) with Akalaṅka’s (ca 770 CE) commentary to these verses in his Aṣṭaśatī.