[INDOLOGY] The date of Vācaspatimiśra

[Andrew Ollett]

Dear all,

I have been trying to see if I am missing any important data on the dates
of Vidyānandin and Vācaspatimiśra. M. A. Dhaky noted (in *Nirgrantha *vol.
2) that Vidyānandin appears to refer to, and quote, Vācaspati. Vidyānandin
is put at 900–950 by Dhaky (the "later date" as summarized in Himal
Trikha's *Perspektivismus und Kritik*). Vācaspati himself is usually dated
by reference to the date 898 found in the *Nyāyasūcīnibandhana *(hence
either 976 or 841) but Muroya ("Apropos the *Nyāyasūcīnibandhana*") doubts
the ascription to Vācaspati. The other *termini ad quem* mentioned in
Acharya's *Tattvasamīkṣā* edition are Śrīdhara (991) and Durvēkamiśra
(975–1025). Acharya favors 950–1000 for Vācaspati's *floruit*, but this
seems incompatible with his being cited by Vidyānandin, if indeed
Vidyānandin lived before 950 (I would say before 959, since Sōmēśvara seems
to use him as a source in the *Yaśastilakacampū*). Similarly incompatible
with this datum (it seems to me) is Muroya's argument (in "Bhāsarvajña's
interpretation of *bhāva eva nāśaḥ*") that Vācaspati was a contemporary of
Jñānaśrīmitra (975–1025).

I would appreciate it if anyone has any further references that might help
in resolving this puzzle, or any opinions about the *balābala* of these
arguments.

Andrew
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