In short
Acharya Akalanka founded the Akalanka-nyaya school and gave Anekantavada its most rigorous logical form, directly engaging Buddhist logicians of his day. He is considered the single most important figure in the development of formal Digambar epistemology.
At a glance
- Also known as
- Akalank Deva, Bhatta Akalanka
- Rank
- Acharya
- Tradition
- Digambar
- Era
- 8th century CE, c. 720–780
- Key works
-
- Tattvarthavartika (Rajavartika)
- Ashtashati
- Laghiyastraya
- Nyayaviniscaya
- Siddhiviniscaya
- Pramanasangraha
Contribution
Akalanka founded the Akalanka-nyaya school and gave Anekantavada its most rigorous logical form, directly engaging and refuting Buddhist logicians in the lineage of Dignaga. He is considered the single most important figure in the development of formal Digambar epistemology.
Life
Tradition holds he was the elder of two royal-born brothers — with Nishkalanka — who studied Buddhist logic in disguise at a Buddhist academy so they could out-argue Buddhist scholars from within their own system.
Legacy
His logical treatises remained the central reference point for Digambar epistemology for centuries, cited and re-commented upon well into the medieval period.