Mallinatha has written in his commentary that Dignaga has been madefun by Kalidasa...This is an erroneous notion.Tradition and history sometimes get mixed up and end up in such stories.Kalidasa is mentioned in the Mandasar inscriptions and thenthere is the 147-150 BC terrocota images as described by none otherthan Ananda Coomaraswamy himself to be the image portraying the first scene ofShakuntala !!!!!!!There have been Kalidasa in later period who have fathered number of works inthe great poet's name leading to the confusion.Aswagosha who lived in first century AD is said to have himself borrowed severalpassages in Buddha Carita !!!Dignaga lived in 4th Century AD and Kalidasa lived before, so no question of Kalidasamaking fun of him !!! Regards,S.KarthikVandemataram
It is true that Mallinatha makes the mistake, historical anachronism. Dharmakirti was a great successor of Dinnaga (5th A.D.) who continued his work and improved it. he lived in the first part of seventh century. Dharmakirti was initiated as a Buddhist monk by Dharmapala whom Hsuan tsang met in 633 AD. But he is not mentioned by the latter who travelled in India between 629-45 AD. He must have been rather young at that time. he is however mentioned by I-tsing (671-95) AD. as one who introduced reform in logic. Pramana Vartikka is his principal work.He was a South Indian Brahmin from Kanchipuram who studied in Nalanda. Ramachandrasekhar
dharma kirti is also mentioned in the rahula sangrityayan magnum opus" from volga to ganges" . he mentions about a tamilian holding high post in nalanda. but it was a philosopher and not a martial art guru. gandhi
But the Shaolin records quoted by people call him both.
looks very interesting. please help us in learning more.
( Parallelly this discussion helps in dating Adisankara also. secondly this helps to understand that Bhudhism's transition to high level of philosophical religion- initiated by Nagarjuna . Mandan Misrar / Kumarilla Bhatta challenged and defeated all these philosophy and won over both Bhudhism and Jainism and completed their decline. )
Nutshell of these ideas are:
Bhudhism - world is an illusion covered by Maya - You break this Maya, then there is nothing - soonyam. Karmas only lead to birth and rebirth.
Jainism - Karma only lead to birth & rebirth. World is illussion - coveerd by maya. But if you break that Maya - then there may be something or maynot be. Asthi- Naasthi. ( may be or may not be)
Mandan Mishra. - Karma only leads to birth & rebirth. Karma is the ultimate. Devas repay for your Karmas. Hence Karma is important. That is the sole thing.
Advaita. - Karma only leads to birth & rebirth. Once you break the Maya - It is complete divine. Poornam ( not poojyam ) infinity. You are part of that poornam but dont know that due to Maya. He accepts karma and vedic rituals but doing only that is foolishness. Go beyond that and focus on Upanishad teachings.
All Indian philosphy accept karma and rebirth and advise sat karma. Charity is not for some institutions to come and do. Every one is an institution himself, do charity, be good is the essence of karma theory.
They only differ on realisation of supreme. It is very interesting to note that how bhudhism changed from no god to buhdha as god to nagarjuna to all these people. Zen, Chinese, Tibetian, Thai and Srilankan teravada.