Dear all, I have been trying to see if I am missing any important data on the dates of Vidyānandin and Vācaspatimiśra. M. A. Dhaky noted (in *Nirgrantha *vol. 2) that Vidyānandin appears to refer to, and quote, Vācaspati. Vidyānandin is put at 900–950 by Dhaky (the "later date" as summarized in Himal Trikha's *Perspektivismus und Kritik*). Vācaspati himself is usually dated by reference to the date 898 found in the *Nyāyasūcīnibandhana *(hence either 976 or 841) but Muroya ("Apropos the *Nyāyasūcīnibandhana*") doubts the ascription to Vācaspati. The other *termini ad quem* mentioned in Acharya's *Tattvasamīkṣā* edition are Śrīdhara (991) and Durvēkamiśra (975–1025). Acharya favors 950–1000 for Vācaspati's *floruit*, but this seems incompatible with his being cited by Vidyānandin, if indeed Vidyānandin lived before 950 (I would say before 959, since Sōmēśvara seems to use him as a source in the *Yaśastilakacampū*). Similarly incompatible with this datum (it seems to me) is Muroya's argument (in "Bhāsarvajña's interpretation of *bhāva eva nāśaḥ*") that Vācaspati was a contemporary of Jñānaśrīmitra (975–1025).
I would appreciate it if anyone has any further references that might help in resolving this puzzle, or any opinions about the *balābala* of these arguments. Andrew
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