l
at a time when the religion of Sákya Muni held its own in India. The Chinese pilgrim I'Tsing speaks of a compiler of the eight divisions of the Ayurveda—possibly this may refer to Vágbhata.[1]
Cordier, following no doubt the authority of 'Vaidyakasabdasindhu,' states that, according to Rájatarañginí, Vágbhata lived at the time of King Jayasimha (1196-1218 A. D.); this view is quite untenable, and it is one of the many instances which would go to prove that Kalhana in writing his Chronicles had often to draw largely upon vague traditions, and hence his dates are to be accepted cum grano salis.[2]
- ↑ "These eight arts formerly existed in eight books, but lately a man epitomised them and made them into one bundle."—I'Tsing: "Records of the Buddhist Religion" by Takakasu, p. 128.
- ↑ The eminent Sanskrit scholar, the late A. M. Barua, in discussing the age of Kshirasvami discards the authority of Rájtaranaginí and observes:—"I do not see any valid reason for regarding it as a historical authority for all its statements and the more I learn the more my view is confirmed." The name of Vágbhata, however, does not occur in Stein's edition of Ráj., which may be pronounced as the most reliable that has yet appeared.
