Akalanka

Acharya Shri 108 Akalanka Ji Maharaj
Image of Acharya Akalanka
Religion	Jainism
Sect	Digambara
Personal
Born	720 CE
Died	780CE
Religious career
Initiation	by Pujyapada

Akalanka (also Akalank Deva and Bhatta Akalank) was a famous Jain logician whose works are seen as landmarks in Indian logic. He lived from 720-780 A.D. and belonged to the Digambara sect of Jainism. His work Astasati, a commentary on Aptamimamsa of Acharya Samantabhadra deals mainly with jaina logic. He was a contemporary of Rashtrakuta king Krishna I. He is the author of Tattvārtharājavārtika, a commentary on major Jain text Tattvartha Sutra. He greatly contributed to the development of the philosophy of Anekantavada and is therefore called the "Master of Jain logic".

Biography

The great eighth-century logician Akalanka was aware of the contents of the Angas, although it cannot be said whether they represent an idea rather than a reality for him, and he also seems to have been the first Digambara to have introduced as a valid form of scriptural classification the division into kalika and utkalika texts which was also employed by the Svetambaras.

Works

Various works are attributed to Akalanka. Some of these are:

• Laghiyastraya
• Pramānasangraha
• Nyāyaviniscaya-vivarana
• Siddhiviniscaya-vivarana
• Astasati
• Tattvārtharājavārtika

See also

• Acharya Shri Akalanka Educational Trust