Jaina Epistemology in Historical and Comparative Perspective : Critical Edition and English Translation of Logical-Epistemological Treatises: Nyayavatara, Nyayavatara-vivrti and Nyayavatara-tippana with Introduction and Notes, Vols. I and II

Contents: Vol. I: Preface to the Indian edition. Acknowledgements. A note to the edition and English translation. Introduction. English translation of the Nyayavatara-Vivrti: Nyayavatara-vivrti 0-32. Footnotes.

Vol. II: Sanskrit text of the Nyayavatara-Vivrti: Nyayavatara-vivrti 0-32. Index of selected vocabulary to the Sanskrit Text. Index of quotations found in the Nyayavatara-Vivrti. Index of Maxims (Nyayas) and sayings. Index of selected vocabulary to the introduction and English translation. Index Locorum. Bibliography. Abbreviations.

"The Nyayavatara is one of the first serious Jaina treatises on epistemology. It has been for long erroneously ascribed by tradition to Siddhasena Divakara, but now it seems certain that its author is a certain Siddhasena Mahamati, who lived circa 710/720-770/780. He enters into polemics with other--mostly Buddhist--epistemological schools and endeavours to establish a Jaina epistemological tradition of its own. Despite its importance, the work is rather secondary in the sense that it relies, for the most part, on the Buddhist logical legacy. The first extant commentary is the Nyayavatara-vivrti of Siddharsiganin. Although its significance has often been under-estimated, Siddhsiganin was responsible for the subsequent development of Jaina epistemological thought to a much larger degree than it has so far been recognised. He refers to major philosophical schools of his times, e.g. to Sautrantika, Yogacara, Sunyavada, Saugata, Samkhya, Mimamsa, Naiyayika-Vaisesika, Carvaka, Advaita-vedanta, the materialists, etc. The gloss (Nyayavatara-tippana) of Devbhadrasuri, which is amply quoted in the present edition, is a useful source of quotations." (jacket)