List of Indian philosophers
Indian philosophy, the systems of thought and reflection that were developed by the civilizations of the Indian subcontinent. They include both orthodox (astika) systems, namely, the Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Purva-Mimamsa (or Mimamsa), and Vedanta (Advaita, Dwaita, Bhedbheda, Vishistadvaita), and unorthodox (nastika) systems, such as Buddhism, Jainism, Ajivika, Ajnana, Charvaka etc. as well as other schools such as Raseswera, Paninya, Pratyabhijna, Pasupata Shaivism, Shaivism etc. Indian thought has been concerned with various philosophical problems, significant among which are the nature of the world (cosmology), the nature of reality (metaphysics), logic, the nature of knowledge (epistemology), ethics, and the philosophy of religion etc. Some of the most famous and influential philosophers of all time were from the Indian Subcontinent such as Buddha, Nagarjuna, Adi Sankara, etc.[1][2][3] This list is till 14th century AD.
Name | Life | School | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Dirghatamas | 14th century BCE | ||
Avatsara | 14th century BCE | ||
Brishaspati | 14th century BCE | ||
Lopamudra | 12th century BCE | wife of sage Agastya | |
Agastya | 12th century BCE | husband of Lopamudra and one of the saptarishis | |
Atri | 12th century BCE | one of the saptarishis | |
Bharadwaja | 12th century BCE | one of the saptarishis | |
Vasishtha | 12th century BCE | one of the saptarishis | |
Shakalya | 12th century BCE | His Padapatha of the Rig Veda was one of the early attempts in the direction of analysis | |
Valmiki | 11th century BCE | Valmiki was the writer of Ramyana and is revered as the first poet or Adi Kavi in sanskrit literature. | |
Vyasa | 9th century BCE | Vyasa was the writer of Mahabharat. | |
Mahidasa Aitareya | 9th century BCE | ||
Gargi Vachaknavi | 8th century BCE | Debates with Yajnavalkya | |
Maitreyi | 8th century BCE | Advaita | wife of Yajnavalkya |
Aruni | 8th century BCE[4] | one of the first philosophers in recorded history. | |
Ghosha | 10th century BCE -8th century BCE | ||
Yajnavalkya | 8th-7th century BCE[5][6][4] | Credited for coining Advaita | |
Sandilya | 8th century BCE | Known for Sandilya Vidya, a set of teachings of vidyā or philosophy | |
Pratardana | 8th century BCE | ||
Bodhayana | 8th century BCE | Vishishtadvaita | |
Pravahana Jaivali | 8th century BCE | Known for Panchagni Vidya, a set of teachings of vidyā or philosophy | |
Śākaṭāyana | 8th century BCE | Nairukta (etymologist) | |
Raikva | 8th century BCE | ||
Satyakama Jabala | 8th century BCE | ||
Shukracharya | 8th century BCE | Political Philosophy | He wrote Sukraneeti |
Parshvanatha | 8th century BCE | Jainism | 23rd Tirthankara and one of the earliest exponent of Karma philosophy in recorded history |
Pippalada | 8th century BCE | He was the founder of Pippalada School of thought, which taught the Atharvaveda. | |
Shvetashvatara | 8th century BCE | ||
Sushrutha | 8th century BCE | Credited for Sushruta Samhita, Charaka Samhita and the Astanga Hridaya (regarded as one of the Great Trilogy of Ayurvedic Medicine and on various forms of surgery) | |
Ashtavakra | 7th century BCE | ||
Shvetaketu | 7th century BCE | grandson of sage and philosopher Aruni | |
Kapila | 6th century BCE | Samkhya | credited as the founder of the Samkhya school,Argued for vegetaraninism |
Āḷāra Kālāma | 6th century BCE | Samkhya | .According to the Pāli Canon scriptures, he was the first teacher of Gautama Buddha. |
Uddaka Rāmaputta | 6th century BCE | one of the teachers of Gautama Buddha | |
Panini | 6th century BCE[7] | Founder of Paniniya School | |
Pañcaśikha | 6th century BCE | Samkhya | |
Asuri | 6th century BCE | Samkhya | Student of Kapila |
Yaska | 6th-5th century BCE[7] | Nairukta (etymologist) | |
Brishaspati | Charvaka | ||
Akṣapāda Gautama | 6th century BCE | Nyaya | credited as the founder of the Nyaya School |
Kanada | 6th century BCE | Vaisheshika | Credited as the founder of the Vaisheshika school,explained the creation and existence of the universe by proposing an atomistic theory, applying logic and realism, and is one of the earliest known systematic realist ontology in human history. |
Purana Kassapa | 6th century BCE | Amoralism | |
Ajita Kesakambali | 6th century BCE | Charvaka | Ajita propounded Ucchedavada (the Doctrine of Annihilation after death) and Tam-Jivam-tam-sariram-vada (the doctrine of identity of the soul and body), which denied the separate existence of an eternal soul. |
Payasi | 6th century BCE | Charvaka | |
Pakudha Kaccayana | 6th century BCE | Sassatavāda | Credited as the founder of the Atomism philosophy |
Makkhali Gośāla | 6th century BCE | Ajivika | |
Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta | 6th century BCE | Ajñana | |
Mahavira | 6th century BCE | Jainism | Taught the principles of Anekantavada (many-sided reality): syadvada and nayavada. |
Gautama Buddha | 6th century BCE | Founder of Buddhism | |
Śāriputra | 6th century BCE | Buddhism | He is considered the first of the Buddha's two chief male disciples |
Kaniyan Pungundranar | 5th century BCE | Philosopher from the Sangam age | |
Pingala | 5th century BCE | ||
Dandamis | 4th century BCE | ||
Kalanos | 4th century BCE | ||
Chanakya | 4th century BCE | Poilitical Philosophy | He is considered the pioneer of the field of political science and economics in India. |
Jaimini | 4th century BCE | Mimansa | Founder of Mimansa School |
Moggaliputta-Tissa | 3rd century BCE | Buddhism | |
Avvaiyar I | 3rd century BCE | Sangam era poetess | |
Bogar | 3rd century BCE | one of the 18 celebrated siddhars of Tamilnadu | |
Korakkar | 3rd century BCE | one of the 18 celebrated siddhars of Tamilnadu | |
Patanjali | 2nd Century BCE | Paniniya | Founder of Yoga School |
Nagasena | 2nd Century BCE | Buddhism | |
Kātyāyana | 2nd Century BCE | ||
Badarayana | 2nd century BCE | Vedanta | Badarayana is regarded as having written the basic text of the Vedanta system, the Vedāntasūtra a.k.a. Brahmasūtra |
Manu | 2nd century BCE | Author of Manumsriti | |
Thiruvalluvar | 1st Century BCE | ||
Avvaiyar II | 1st Century BCE | Famous for collection of single-line quotations" Aathichoodi" | |
Śabara | 1st century AD | Mimansa | |
Lakulisha | 1st century AD | Pashupata Shaivism | |
Aśvaghoṣa | 1st century AD | Buddhsim | He is believed to have been the first Sanskrit dramatist, and is considered the greatest Indian poet prior to Kālidāsa. |
Gunadhara | 1st century AD | Jainism | |
Sarvajña Rāmeśvara | Raseśvara | ||
Govinda Bhagavat | Raseśvara | ||
Vatsyana | 1st century AD | Famous for "Kama Sutra" | |
Nagarjuna | 2nd century AD[4] | Buddhism | Founder of Madhyamaka |
Kapilar | 2nd century AD | ||
Kundakunda | 2nd century AD | Jainism | |
Umaswati | 2nd century AD | Jainism | |
Samantabhadra | 2nd century AD | Jainism | He was a proponent of the Jaina doctrine of Anekantavada. |
Ilango Adigal | 2nd century AD | Jainism | |
Isvarakrsna | 3rd century AD | Samkhya | |
Aryadeva | 3rd century AD | Buddhism | Aryadeva was a student of Nagarjuna and contributed significantly to the Madhyamaka |
Asanga | 4th century AD[4] | Buddhism | one of the founder of the Yogachara .He is known as one of the seventeen Nalanda masters. |
Aviddhakarṇa | Charvaka | ||
Vasubandhu | 4th century AD | Buddhism | one of the founder of the Yogachara .He is known as one of the seventeen Nalanda masters. |
Dignāga | 4th century AD | Buddhism | One of the Buddhist founders of Indian logic (hetu vidyā). |
Pakṣilasvāmin Vātsyāyana | 4th century AD | Nyaya | |
Haribhadra | 4th century AD | Jainism | |
Pujyapada | 5th century AD | Jainism | |
Buddhaghosa | 5th century AD | Buddhism | |
Vatsyayana | 5th century AD | Nyaya | |
Kambalasvatara | Charvaka | ||
Bodhidharma | 5th century AD | Buddhism | |
Kamandaka | 5th century AD | Kautilyan(Chanakya)School of diplomacy | |
Bhartṛhari | 5th century AD | Paniniya | |
Guṇabhadra | 5th century AD | Buddhism | |
Maticandra | 5th century AD | Samkhya | |
Siddhasena | 5th century AD | Jainism | |
Dharmakirti | 6th century AD | Buddhism | He was also one of the primary theorists of Buddhist atomism |
Prabhākara | 6th century AD | Mimansa | Founder of Pravakar School |
Prashastapada | 6th century AD | Vaisheshika | |
Bhāviveka | 6th century AD | Buddhism | In Tibetan Buddhism Bhāviveka is regarded as the founder of the Svātantrika tradition of the Mādhyamaka school of Buddhism |
Bodhiruci | 6th century AD | Buddhism | |
Bhavivikta | 6th century AD | Nyaya | |
Dharmapala | 6th century AD | Buddhism | |
Manikyanandi | 6th century AD | Jainism | |
Śīlabhadra | 6th century AD | Buddhism | |
Udyotakara | 6th century AD | Nyaya-Vaisheshika synthesis | |
Bhatta Narayana | 6th century AD | Buddhism | |
Purandara | Charvaka | ||
Sthiramati | 6th century AD | Buddhism | |
Paramartha | 6th century AD | Buddhism | |
Gaudapada | 6th century AD | Advaita | |
Buddhapālita | 6th century AD | Buddhism | |
Buddhapālita | 6th century AD | Buddhism | |
Kumārila Bhaṭṭa | 7th century AD[7] | Mimansa | |
Jinabhadra | 7th century AD | Jainism | |
Buddhaguhya | 7th century AD | Buddhism | |
Chandragomin | 7th century AD | Buddhism | Chandragomin was a teacher at Nalanda Monastic University |
Pushpadanta | 7th century AD | Jainism | |
Bhartṛprapañca | 7th century AD | Bhedabheda | |
Govinda Bhagavatpada | 7th century AD | Advaita | He was the Guru of the Adi Shankara. |
Rājāna | 7th century AD | Samkhya | Wrote the longest commentary on Sankhya-Karika called Yukti-dīpikā, “Light on the arguments” |
Bhutabali | 7th century AD | Jainism | |
Jayarāśi Bhaṭṭa | 8th century AD | Ajnana | He is known for his radical skepticism |
Kumudendu | 8th century AD | Jainism | |
Adi Shankara | 8th century AD[4] | Advaita | He is credited by some with unifying and establishing the main currents of thought in Hinduism. |
Totakacharya | 8th century AD | Advaita | He was a disciple of Ādi Śaṅkara |
Virasena | 8th century AD | Jainism | |
Śāntarakṣita | 8th century AD | Buddhism | |
Virūpa | 8th century AD | Buddhism | |
Acharya Vamana | 8th century AD | Vamana's investigation into the nature of a Kāvya is known as theory of Riti | |
Hastamalakacharya | 8th century AD | Advaita | He was a disciple of Adi Shankara , Hastamalaka founded a matha by name Idayil Matham in Thrissur, Kerala |
Jñānagarbha | 8th century AD | Buddhism | |
Padmapadacharya | 8th century AD | Advaita | A follower of Adi Shankara |
Vimalamitra | 8th century AD | Buddhism | |
Udbhatabhatta | Charvaka | ||
Maṇḍana Miśra | 8th century AD | Initially Mimansa,Then Advaita | |
Nammalvar | 8th century AD | one of the twelve alvar saints | |
Ubaya Bharti | 8th century AD | Mimansa | Wife of Maṇḍana Miśra, Famous for debate with Adi Sankara |
Nimbarkacharya | 8th century AD | He founded Nimbarka Sampradaya, one of four main traditions of Hindu sect Vaishnavism | |
Śāntarakṣita | 8th century AD | Buddhism | |
Vidyananda | 8th century AD | Jainism | |
Śālikanātha | 8th century AD | Mimansa | |
Vajrabodhi | 8th century AD | Buddhism | one of the eight patriarchs in Shingon Buddhism. |
Aparajita | 8th century AD | Jainism | He defended the practice of Digambara monks of being nude |
Śubhakarasiṃha | 8th century AD | Buddhism | one of the eight patriarchs in Shingon Buddhism. |
Akalanka | 8th century AD | Jainism | |
Baladevācārya | 8th century AD | Father of Sridhara | |
Haribhadra | 8th century AD | Buddhism | Disciple of Śāntarakṣita |
Bhāskara | 8th century AD | Bhedabheda | |
Dharmottara | 8th century AD | Buddhism | |
Ravigupta | 8th century AD | Buddhism | |
Jayanta Bhatta | 9th century AD | Nyaya | |
Anandavardhana | 9th century AD | Ānandavardhana is credited with creating the dhvani theory. | |
Pārthasārathi Miśra | 9th century AD | Mimansa | |
Adikavi Pampa | 9th century AD | Jainism | |
Sridhara | 9th century AD | ||
Vācaspati Miśra | 9th century AD | Advaita | |
Vasugupta | 9th century AD | Pratyabhijna | |
Bhatta Kallata | 9th century AD | Pratyabhijna | Pupil of Vasugupta |
Gunabhadra | 9th century AD | Jainism | He co-authored Mahapurana along with Jinasena. |
Bhasavarajna | 10th century AD | Nyaya | |
Udayana | 10th century AD | Nyaya | |
Śaṅkaranandana | 10th century AD | Buddhism | |
Ratnavajra | 10th century AD | Buddhism | |
Utpaladeva | 10th century AD | Pratyabhijna | |
Laksmanagupta | 10th century AD | Pratyabhijna | son and disciple of Utpaladeva,and teacher of Abhinavagupta |
Abhinavagupta | 10th century AD | ||
Kshemaraja | 10th century AD | Pratyabhijna | disciple of Abhinavagupta |
Rajanaka Ramakantha | 10th century AD | disciple of Utpaladeva | |
Nemichandra | 10th century AD | Jainism | |
Nathamuni | 10th century AD | Vishishtadvaita | |
Somānanda | 10th century AD | Vishishtadvaita | |
Indrabhuti | 10th century AD | Buddhism | |
Yamunacharya | 10th century AD | Vishistadvaita | |
Bhatta Narayana | 10th century AD | Pratyabhijna | |
Amritchandra | 10th century AD | Jainism | |
Jñanasrimitra | 11th century AD | Buddhism | |
Mahapurna | 11th century AD | ||
Yadava Prakaasa | 11th century AD | Advaita | One of the teachers of Ramanuja |
Atīśa | 11th century AD | Buddhism | |
Ratnakīrti | 11th century AD | Buddhism | |
Jinamitra | 11th century AD | Jainism | |
Shrikantha | 11th century AD | He speaks himself of pupil of Rajanaka Ramakantha | |
Jnanasribadara | 11th century AD | Buddhism | |
Bhoja | 11th century AD | ||
Nimbarkacharya | 11th century AD | Dvaitadvaita | |
Prabhācandra | 11th century AD | Jainism | |
Basavanna | (c. 1131–1167 CE) | Lingayatism | Socio-religious reforms, Anubhava Mantapa, Vachana literature |
Pillai Lokacharya | 12th century AD | Vishishtadvaita | |
Vardhamana Upadhyaya | 12th century AD | Nyaya | |
Ramanuja | 12th century AD | Vishishtadvaita | |
Mamaidev | 12th century AD | ||
Basava | 12th century AD | Shaivism | Founder of Lingayatism |
Siddheshwar | 12th century AD | Shaivism | |
Parasara Bhattar | 12th century AD | Vishishtadvaita | |
Naropa | 12th century AD | Buddhism | |
Vedanta Desika | 12th century AD | Vishishtadvaita | |
Vidyaranya | 12th century AD | Advaita | |
Khana | 12th century AD | ||
Akka Mahadevi | 12th century AD | Shaivism | |
Hemachandra | 12th century AD | Jainism | |
Shri Harsha | 12th century AD | ||
Abhayakaragupta | 12th century AD | Buddhism | |
Jayaratha | 12th century AD | ||
Someshvara III | 12th century AD | ||
Madhvacharya | 13th century AD | Dwaita | Considered the chief proponent of 'Dwaita' |
Vimuktatman | 13th century AD | Advaita | |
Yādavaprakāśa | 13th century AD | Advaita | |
Dnyaneshwar | 13th century AD | Advaita | |
Akshobhya Tirtha | 13th century AD | Dwaita | |
Narahari Tirtha | 13th century AD | Dwaita | |
Meykandar | 13th century AD | Shaivism. | |
Chakradhar Swami | 13th century AD | Dwaita | |
Trivikrama Panditacharya | 13th century AD | Dwaita | Disciple of Madhvacharya |
Amalananda | 13th century AD | Advaita | |
Vishnu Tirtha | 13th century AD | Dwaita | Brother of Madhvacharya |
Prakasatman | 13th century AD | Advaita | |
Padmanabha Tirtha | 13th century AD | Dwaita | Disciple of Madhvacharya |
Narayana Panditacharya | 13th century AD | Dwaita | |
Jayatirtha | 14th century AD | Dwaita | considered as one of the founder of Haridasa movement |
Lalla | 14th century AD | Pratyabhijna | |
Madhava Tirtha | 14th century AD | Dwaita | 3rd pontiff of Madhvacharya peetha. |
Sripadaraja | 14th century AD | Dwaita | considered as one of the founder of Haridasa movement |
Kavindra Tirtha | 14th century AD | Dwaita | |
Gangesha Upadhyaya | 14th century AD[7] | Nyaya | He established the Navya-Nyāya ("New Logic") school |
Pandurang Shastri Athavale | 20th century AD | He established Swadhyay Parivar and the philosophy of original VEDIC DHARMA is the base of this movement. |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ "Category Archives: Indian Philosophy". ep.utm.edu. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Watts, Alan (1975). Psychotherapy, East and West. Vintage Books. ISBN 0394716094.
- ↑ Walpola Rahula, Theravadin (1959). What the Buddha Taught. Oneworld Publications. ISBN 0-8021-3031-3.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Ben-Ami Scharfstein (1998), A comparative history of world philosophy: from the Upanishads to Kant, Albany: State University of New York Press, pp. 9-11
- ↑ Frits Staal (2008). Discovering the Vedas: Origins, Mantras, Rituals, Insights. Penguin Books. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-14-309986-4., Quote: "Yajnavalkya, a Vedic sage, taught..."
- ↑ Patrick Olivelle (1998). Upaniṣads. Oxford University Press. pp. 3, 52–71. ISBN 978-0-19-283576-5.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "Approximate Chronology of Indian Philosophers". Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved 2022-02-22.