A History Of Indian Literature, Volume Vi: Scientific And Technical Literature, Part 3, Fasc. 5: Mīmāṃsā Literature

A HISTORY OF INDIAN LITERATURE JEAN-MARIE VERPOORTEN MlMAMSA LITERATURE OTTO HARRASSOWITZ • WIESBADEN A HISTORY OF INDIAN LITERATURE EDITED BY JAN GONDA VOLUME VI Fasc. 5 1987 OTTO HARRASSOWITZ • WIESBADEN JEAN-MARIE VERPOORTEN MIMAMSA LITERATURE 1987 OTTO HARRASSOWITZ • WIESBADEN A HISTORY OF INDIAN LITERATURE Contents of Vol. VI Vol. VI: Fasc. 1: Fasc. 2: Fasc. 3: Fasc. 4: Fasc. 5: E. te Nijenhuis B. K. Matilal M. Hulin D. Pingree J.-M. Verpoorten T. Gelblum B. Dagens N. N. Musicological Literature Nyaya-Vaisesika Samkhya Literature Jyotihsastra Mimamsa Literature Yoga Philosophy Architecture, Sculpture, Technics Other Sciences CIP-Kurztitelaufnahme der Deutschen Bibliothek A history of Indian literature / ed. by Jan Gonda. — Wiesbaden : Harrassowitz NE: Gonda, Jan [Hrsg.] Vol. 6. Scientific and technical literature. - Pt. 3. Fasc. 5. Verpoorten, Jean-Marie: Mimamsa literature. - 1987 Verpoorten, Jean-Marie: Mimamsa literature / Jean-Marie Verpoorten. - Wiesbaden : Harrassowitz, 1987. (A history of Indian literature ; Vol. 6. Scientific and technical literature. - Pt. 3, Fasc. 5) ISBN 3-447-02676-6 © Otto Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1987. Alle Rechte vorbehalten. Photographische und photomechanische Wiedergabe nur mit ausdriicklicher Genehmigung des Verlages. Gesamtherstellung: AUgauer Zeitungsverlag GmbH, Kempten. Printed in Germany. Siege): HIL. PREFACE This publication is a modest attempt to collect the data concerning the Mimdmsa from books and papers published over half a century, and to give an up-to-date summary of them. Further investigation is required concerning many authors, who, although important, so far remain mere names. I trust that this research will help to revive interest in the Mimdmsa and in the pandits who, all over India, keep up this noble tradition. I would like to express my gratitude to Prof. Gonda who accepted my collaboration, and also to those scholars who allowed me to derive benefit from their erudition. CONTENTS Preface V List of Abbreviations IX Introduction 1 Chapter I: Prehistory of the Mimdmsd 3 Chapter II: The founders of the Mimdmsddarsana Jaimini and the Mimdmsd-sutras The Samkarsa(na)kanda Pre-Sabara Teachers Sahara and the Sdbara-bhdsya 5 5 6 7 8 Chapter III: The Golden Age of the Mimdmsd Bhartrmitra and Vindhyavasin Kumarila Bhatta and his works Prabhakara Misra and his works Mandana Misra and his works Chapter IV: The Age of the Sub-commentators Umbekaetc Salikanatha Misra and his works The Mimdmsd in the works of some non-mlmamsakas Parthasarathi Misra Minor Mfmamsakas Madhava-Vidyaranya Laugaksi Bhaskara and Apadeva Narayana Bhatta and Narayana Pandita Mimdmsd and Dharmasdstra Mimdmsd and Navya-nydya The Mimdmsd in the 20th century 22 22 22 31 35 38 38 38 40 41 43 45 ' 47 49 49 50 52 Conclusion 52 Chart 54 VIII Contents Bibliography 55 Index 63 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS K M MK MM MS Pr = Kumarila = Mlmdmsd = Mimdmsdkosa (§ 65/3) = Mandana Misra = Mimamsd-sutra = Prabhakara PSM = Parthasarathi Mi£ra S = Sahara SB SN SV = Sdbara-bhdsya = Salikanatha = Slokavarttika THE MIMAMSA INTRODUCTION § 1. Etymologically, the feminine name mimdmsd is a derivative with the primary suffix -a from the base mimdms, the desiderative (and also intensive) of man- "to think." It thus means "effort to intense reflexion", but also "enquiry, theoretical discussion (sometimes opposed to practice)." Mimdmsd (M) is also called a. Karma-mimdrnsd "Action-enquiry" or Karma-kdnda "Action-chapter," because it explo