A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c26.s2.96

v1.c26.s2.96

The thesis that Vāgbhaṭa was neither a Buddhist, nor a Hindu, but a Jaina, has been defended by one scholar only, Śrīnivāsācāriyar.266 His arguments were: Vāgbhaṭa is referred to as a bhiṣaggaṇi at the end of the Aṣṭānganighaṇṭu; Pūjyapādavāgbhaṭasvāmin is honoured by the Jains of Southern India before taking an agada; the Jainas of Malabar do not study the Aṣṭāngahṛdaya on the eleventh tithi of a lunar month,267 out of fear to break a vrata.268 The same scholar held that Vāgbhaṭa was identical with Amarasiṃha, the author of the Amarakośa, who, though born in a brāhmaṇa family, embraced Jainism after studying with a Jaina teacher. It will be clear that none of these arguments carries any weight.