Contents
Dharmakirti
Developing influential Buddhist accounts of knowledge, perception and reasoning.
Pramāṇavārttika · Nyāyabindu
- Born
- Unknown
- Birthplace
- India
- Died
- Unknown
More people
Dharmakirti
Dharmakīrti was an Indian Buddhist philosopher associated with Nalanda. His writings on reliable knowledge became foundational texts in Indian and Tibetan Buddhist philosophy; the dates of his life remain uncertain.
Early life
Uncertain origins
Later accounts describe a southern Indian background, but firm biographical evidence is scarce.
Intellectual inheritance
Developed the Buddhist theory of knowledge associated with Dignāga.
Career
- First millennium CE
Nalanda
Was remembered as a teacher at the major Buddhist centre.
- First millennium CE
Philosophical writings
Produced works examining perception, inference and the grounds of reliable knowledge.
Selected work
Pramāṇavārttika
Presented his major treatment of knowledge and Buddhist philosophical argument.
Nyāyabindu
Gave a concise account of perception and inference.
Pramāṇaviniścaya
Examined the means by which knowledge can be established.
Beyond work
Wider debate
His arguments were discussed by Buddhist, Hindu and Jain thinkers.
Tibetan study
His texts became important parts of Tibetan philosophical education.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Institutional source ↗Photo: Unknown artist — later Tibetan sculpture, Cleveland Museum of Art. CC0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.