Page:Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society - Volume 1.djvu/506

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Mr. Corrprooxe on the Philosophy of the Hindus. 441


Besides the work of the old scholiast, which probably is not extant in a complete form, the sztras have, as usual, been elucidated by a perpetual commentary, and by corrective annotations on it.

The author of the extant commentary is Sapara swAmi BpHaTra, from whom it takes the name of Sdbara bhdshya. He quotes occasionally the ancient scholiast, sometimes concurring with, sometimes dissenting from him.

The annotations (vdrtica) are by Buarra cumAriLa swAmfi, who is the great authority of the Mimdnsaca school, in which he is emphatically designated by his title, Bhatfa, equivalent to Doctor. He frequently ex- pounds and corrects Sazara’s gloss, often delivers a different interpretation, but in many instances passes entire sections without notice, as seeing no occasion for emendation or explanation of the commentary, which he must be considered therefore as tacitly ratifying The ancient scholiast is sometimes cited by him, adopting or amending the scholia; and he criticises the text itself, and arrangement of Jarm1nI.

Next to him in celebrity is a writer usually cited under the title of Guru; more rarely under the designation of Prabhdcara.* _ His work I have had no opportunity of examining with a view to the present essay, and he is known to me chiefly from references and quotations; as in MApnava’s summary, where his opinions are perpetually contrasted with CumAriLa’s ; and in the text and commentary of the Séstra-Dipicd, where his positions are canvassed and compared with those of numerous other writers.

CumArita Buatta figures greatly in the traditionary religious history of India. He was predecessor of Sancara AcHArya, and equally rigid in maintaining the orthodox faith against heretics, who reject the authority of the védas. He is considered to have been the chief antagonist of the sect of Buddha, and to have instigated an exterminating persecution of that heresy.t He does, indeed, take every occasion of controverting the au- thority and doctrine of SAcya or Buppua, as well as Aruart or Jina, together with obscurer heretics, Bép’HAyana and Magaca; and he denies them any consideration, even when they do concur upon any point with the védas.t The age of CumAnia, anterior to Sancara,§ and corresponding with the period of the persecution of the Bauddhas, goes back to an antiquity of

  • Madh. 1.1.3. + Preface to Wilson's Dictionary, p. xix. { Miém.1.3.4. § See Note A,

3 M2