Vachaspati Mishra was a ninth or tenth century[1][2][3]Indian Hindu philosopher of the Advaita Vedanta tradition, who wrote bhashya (commentaries) on key texts of almost every 9th-century school of Hindu philosophy.[4][3] He also wrote an independent treatise on grammar, Tattvabindu, or Drop of Truth, which focuses on Mīmāṃsā theories of sentence meaning.
Vāchaspati Misra was born into a Maithil Brahmin family in Andhra Tharhi, Madhubani, Bihar.[5][3] Little is known about Vāchaspati Miśra's life, and the earliest text that has been dated with certainty is from 840 CE, and he was at least one generation younger than Adi Śaṅkara.[2] However, an alternate date for the same text may be 976 CE, according to some scholars; a confusion that is based on whether Hindu Śaka or Vikrama era calendar is used for the dating purposes.[3]
He was a student of Maṇḍana Miśra, who was his main inspirator. He harmonised Shankara's thought with that of Mandana Miśra.[6][web 1] According to Advaita tradition, Shankara reincarnated as Vachaspati Miśra "to popularise the Advaita System through his Bhamati."[7]
He wrote so broadly on various branches of Indian philosophy that later Indian scholars called him the "one for whom all systems are his own", or in Sanskrit, a sarva-tantra-sva-tantra.[8]
Bhamati school
The Bhamati school, named after Vāchaspati Miśra's commentary on Shankara's Brahma Sutra Bhashya,[web 1][web 2] takes an ontological approach. It sees the Jiva as the source of avidya.[web 1] It sees meditation as the main factor in the acquirement of liberation, while the study of the Vedas and reflection are additional factors.[9]
Works
Bhāṣya
Vāchaspati Miśra was a prolific scholar and his writings are extensive, including bhasyas (commentaries) on key texts of almost every 9th-century school of Hindu philosophy, with notes on non-Hindu or nāstika traditions such as Buddhism and Charvaka.[4][3]
Vāchaspati Miśra wrote the Bhamati, a commentary on Shankara's Brahma Sutra Bhashya, and the Brahmatattva-samiksa, a commentary on Mandana Mishra's Brahma-siddhi. It is believed that the name of his most famous work "Bhāmatī" was inspired by his devout wife.[citation needed]
He wrote other influential commentaries, such as Tattvakaumudi on Sāṃkhyakārika;[10]Nyāyasucinibandha on Nyāya-sūtras;[1]Nyāyakānika (an Advaita work on science of reason), Tattvasamikṣa (lost work), Nyāya-vārttika-tātparyaṭīkā (a subcommentary on the Nyāya-sūtras), Tattva-vaiśāradī on Yogasūtra, and others.[3]
While some known works of Vāchaspati Miśra are now lost, numerous others exist. Over ninety medieval era manuscripts, for example, in different parts of India have been found of his Tattvakaumudi, which literally means "Moonlight on the Truth".[3] This suggests that his work was sought and influential. A critical edition of Tattvakaumudi was published by Srinivasan[who?] in 1967.[3]
Tattvabindu - theory of meaning
In Tattvabindu Vachaspati Mishra develops principles of hermeneutics, and discusses the "Theory of Meaning" for the Mīmāṃsā school of Hindu philosophy.[3] This is an influential work, and attempted to resolve some of the interpretation disputes on classical Sanskrit texts. Vāchaspati examines five competing theories of linguistic meaning:[8][11]
Mandana Misra's (sphoṭavāda), which involves grasping the meaning of a word or sentence by perceiving a sphoṭa or single holistic sound, which is distinct from the elements (sounds or characters) that make up the word or sentence;
the Nyāya theory which involves concatenating the memory traces (saṃskāra) of momentary components of a word or sentence when we hear the final momentary component;
the similar Mīmāmsā theory, according to which our grasp of the meaning of a sentence lies in the memory traces created by the words; and
the Prābhākara Mīmāmsā theory, anvitābhidhānavāda, "the view on which denotation is constituted by what is connected." On this view, sentence-meaning is derived from the meanings of its words, which is fully given only by syntactic relations with the other words — no sphoṭa or memory traces are required; and
the Bhāṭṭa Mīmāṃsā theory, abhihitānvayavāda, or "the view on which connection (anvaya) is constituted by what has been denoted." On this view, word-meaning is denoted entirely first (abhihita) and then individual word-meanings are connected by means of lakṣaṇā (implication). Vāchaspati concurs with the Bhāṭṭa view, when he employs in other contexts, such as the Nyāya sub-commentary, the Nyāya-vārttika-tātparya-ṭīkā, and the Tattva-vaiśāradī.[8]
^Bagchi, Jhunu (1993). The History and Culture of the Pālas of Bengal and Bihar, Cir. 750 A.D.-cir. 1200 A.D. Abhinav Publications. ISBN978-81-7017-301-4.
Chatterji, Jagadisha Chandra (1912). Hindu Realism.
Isaeva, Natalia (1993). Shankara and Indian Philosophy. USA: State University of New York Press. ISBN978-0-7914-1281-7.
Fowler, Jeaneane (2002), Perspectives of Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Hinduism, Sussex Academic Press, ISBN978-1898723943
Larson, Gerald James; Bhattacharya, Ram Shankar (1987), The Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies, Volume 4, Princeton University Press
Phillips, Stephen (2015). "Seeing From the Other's Point of View: Counter the Schismatic Interpretation of Vācaspati Miśra" (PDF). APA Newsletter: Asian and Asian-American Philosophers and Philosophies. 14:2: 4–8.
Ranganath, S. (1999). Contribution of Vācaspati Miśra to Indian Philosoph. Delhi: Pratibha Prakashan.
Roodurmun, Pulasth Soobah (2002), Bhāmatī and Vivaraṇa Schools of Advaita Vedānta: A Critical Approach, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited
Bibliography of Vācaspati Mishra's works, Item 530, Karl Potter, University of Washington
May 06, 2023
vāchaspati, misra, vachaspati, mishra, ninth, tenth, century, indian, hindu, philosopher, advaita, vedanta, tradition, wrote, bhashya, commentaries, texts, almost, every, century, school, hindu, philosophy, also, wrote, independent, treatise, grammar, tattvabi. Vachaspati Mishra was a ninth or tenth century 1 2 3 Indian Hindu philosopher of the Advaita Vedanta tradition who wrote bhashya commentaries on key texts of almost every 9th century school of Hindu philosophy 4 3 He also wrote an independent treatise on grammar Tattvabindu or Drop of Truth which focuses on Mimaṃsa theories of sentence meaning Vachaspati MisraPersonalBorn9th 10th century CE 1 2 3 Mithila modern day Bihar India Diedunknown 9th 10th century CE 1 ReligionHinduismSpouseBhamatiPhilosophyAdvaita Vedanta Hinduism Contents 1 Biography 2 Bhamati school 3 Works 3 1 Bhaṣya 3 2 Tattvabindu theory of meaning 4 References 5 Sources 6 Further reading 7 External linksBiography EditVachaspati Misra was born into a Maithil Brahmin family in Andhra Tharhi Madhubani Bihar 5 3 Little is known about Vachaspati Misra s life and the earliest text that has been dated with certainty is from 840 CE and he was at least one generation younger than Adi Saṅkara 2 However an alternate date for the same text may be 976 CE according to some scholars a confusion that is based on whether Hindu Saka or Vikrama era calendar is used for the dating purposes 3 He was a student of Maṇḍana Misra who was his main inspirator He harmonised Shankara s thought with that of Mandana Misra 6 web 1 According to Advaita tradition Shankara reincarnated as Vachaspati Misra to popularise the Advaita System through his Bhamati 7 He wrote so broadly on various branches of Indian philosophy that later Indian scholars called him the one for whom all systems are his own or in Sanskrit a sarva tantra sva tantra 8 Bhamati school EditThe Bhamati school named after Vachaspati Misra s commentary on Shankara s Brahma Sutra Bhashya web 1 web 2 takes an ontological approach It sees the Jiva as the source of avidya web 1 It sees meditation as the main factor in the acquirement of liberation while the study of the Vedas and reflection are additional factors 9 Works EditBhaṣya Edit Vachaspati Misra was a prolific scholar and his writings are extensive including bhasyas commentaries on key texts of almost every 9th century school of Hindu philosophy with notes on non Hindu or nastika traditions such as Buddhism and Charvaka 4 3 Vachaspati Misra wrote the Bhamati a commentary on Shankara s Brahma Sutra Bhashya and the Brahmatattva samiksa a commentary on Mandana Mishra s Brahma siddhi It is believed that the name of his most famous work Bhamati was inspired by his devout wife citation needed He wrote other influential commentaries such as Tattvakaumudi on Saṃkhyakarika 10 Nyayasucinibandha on Nyaya sutras 1 Nyayakanika an Advaita work on science of reason Tattvasamikṣa lost work Nyaya varttika tatparyaṭika a subcommentary on the Nyaya sutras Tattva vaisaradi on Yogasutra and others 3 While some known works of Vachaspati Misra are now lost numerous others exist Over ninety medieval era manuscripts for example in different parts of India have been found of his Tattvakaumudi which literally means Moonlight on the Truth 3 This suggests that his work was sought and influential A critical edition of Tattvakaumudi was published by Srinivasan who in 1967 3 Tattvabindu theory of meaning Edit In Tattvabindu Vachaspati Mishra develops principles of hermeneutics and discusses the Theory of Meaning for the Mimaṃsa school of Hindu philosophy 3 This is an influential work and attempted to resolve some of the interpretation disputes on classical Sanskrit texts Vachaspati examines five competing theories of linguistic meaning 8 11 Mandana Misra s sphoṭavada which involves grasping the meaning of a word or sentence by perceiving a sphoṭa or single holistic sound which is distinct from the elements sounds or characters that make up the word or sentence the Nyaya theory which involves concatenating the memory traces saṃskara of momentary components of a word or sentence when we hear the final momentary component the similar Mimamsa theory according to which our grasp of the meaning of a sentence lies in the memory traces created by the words and the Prabhakara Mimamsa theory anvitabhidhanavada the view on which denotation is constituted by what is connected On this view sentence meaning is derived from the meanings of its words which is fully given only by syntactic relations with the other words no sphoṭa or memory traces are required and the Bhaṭṭa Mimaṃsa theory abhihitanvayavada or the view on which connection anvaya is constituted by what has been denoted On this view word meaning is denoted entirely first abhihita and then individual word meanings are connected by means of lakṣaṇa implication Vachaspati concurs with the Bhaṭṭa view when he employs in other contexts such as the Nyaya sub commentary the Nyaya varttika tatparya ṭika and the Tattva vaisaradi 8 References Edit a b c d Fowler 2002 p 129 a b c Isaeva 1993 p 85 86 a b c d e f g h i j Larson amp Bhattacharya 1987 p 301 312 a b Chatterji 1912 p vi Bagchi Jhunu 1993 The History and Culture of the Palas of Bengal and Bihar Cir 750 A D cir 1200 A D Abhinav Publications ISBN 978 81 7017 301 4 Roodurmun 2002 p 35 Roodurmun 2002 p 34 a b c Phillips 2015 Roodurmun 2002 p 37 Isaeva 1993 p 124 Ranganath 1999 Sources EditChatterji Jagadisha Chandra 1912 Hindu Realism Isaeva Natalia 1993 Shankara and Indian Philosophy USA State University of New York Press ISBN 978 0 7914 1281 7 Fowler Jeaneane 2002 Perspectives of Reality An Introduction to the Philosophy of Hinduism Sussex Academic Press ISBN 978 1898723943 Larson Gerald James Bhattacharya Ram Shankar 1987 The Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies Volume 4 Princeton University Press Phillips Stephen 2015 Seeing From the Other s Point of View Counter the Schismatic Interpretation of Vacaspati Misra PDF APA Newsletter Asian and Asian American Philosophers and Philosophies 14 2 4 8 Ranganath S 1999 Contribution of Vacaspati Misra to Indian Philosoph Delhi Pratibha Prakashan Roodurmun Pulasth Soobah 2002 Bhamati and Vivaraṇa Schools of Advaita Vedanta A Critical Approach Delhi Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited Web sources a b c The Bhamati and Vivarana Schools Rajesh Anand Vachaspati Mishra Archived 3 September 2012 at the Wayback MachineFurther reading EditS S Hasurkar Vacaspati Misra on Advaita Vedanta Darbhanga Mithila Institute of Post Graduate Studies 1958 Karl H Potter Vacaspati Misra in Robert L Arrington ed A Companion to the Philosophers Oxford Blackwell 2001 ISBN 0 631 22967 1 J N Mohanty Classican Indian Philosophy Oxford Rowman amp Littlefield 2000 ISBN 0 8476 8933 6 V N Sheshagiri Rao Vacaspati s Contribution to Advaita Mysore Samvit Publishers 1984 External links EditBibliography of Vacaspati Mishra s works Item 530 Karl Potter University of Washington Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vachaspati Misra amp oldid 1145605763, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
