Anandabodha Yati: Life & Philosophy

The present work is a critical and comprehensive study of four valuable philosophical works written in Navya-Nyaya style and method viz., Nyayamakaranda, Pramanamala, Nyayadipavali and Nyayadipika of Anandabodha Yati, a celebrated Advaita dialectician (1150 A.D.), who has made substantial contribution to Advaitisim of Post-Sankara period. As Anandabodha has carved a niche for himself as one of the early path-finders in the field of Vedantic dialectics and it is undeniable that his works in general and his Nyayamakaranda in particular, provided the foundational ground work for future dialecticians of Advaita persuasion as well as their opponents from the streams of Dvaita and Visistadvaita, to build the edifice of interschool Vedantic dialectics, this work is a unique attempt in presenting an analytical exposition of Anandabodha’s philosophy. It brings out a clear and systematic account of the life-history of this great philosopher and ontological, epistemological and soteriological aspects of his philosophy and dialectical methodology. The important philosophical tenets of Bhuddhists, Naiyayikas, Mimamsakas and Sankhyas who are criticised by Anandabodha as his opponents have been systematically studied and an appraisal of Anandabodha’s criticism has been made in this intensive work.