Paulisa Siddhanta

The Pauliṣa Siddhānta (literally, "The scientific-treatise of Pauliṣa Muni") refers to multiple Indian astronomical treatises, at least one of which is based on a Western source. "Siddhānta" literally means "doctrine" or "tradition".

It is often mistakenly thought to be a single work and attributed to Paul of Alexandria (c. 378 CE).[1] However, this notion has been rejected by other scholars in the field, notably by David Pingree who stated that "...the identification of Paulus Alexandrinus with the author of the Pauliṣa Siddhānta is totally false".[2] Similarly, K. V. Sarma writes that it is from a Greek source, known only as Pauliṣa.[3]

The Alberuni wrote that the Siddhanta is based to the teaching of a Greek named Paulus.[4]

The earlier Pauliṣa-siddhānta dates from the third or fourth century, and the later Pauliṣa-siddhānta from the eighth century.[5]

Similar to the Yavanajātaka ("The Sayings of the Greeks"), the Pauliṣa Siddhānta is an example of Hellenistic astronomy (especially the Alexandrian school) in India during the first centuries CE.

The Pauliṣa Siddhānta was particularly influential on the work of the Indian astronomer Varāhamihira. It was considered one of "The Five Astronomical Canons" in India in the 5th century.

See also

Notes
  1. McEvilley, Thomas (November 2001). The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies. Allworth Press. p. 385. ISBN 978-1-58115-203-6.
  2. See David Pingree, The Yavanajātaka of Sphujidhvaja, Vol. 2, Harvard Oriental Series, 1978, pgs. 437-438. Also see Pingree, The Later Pauliśa Siddhānta, Centaurus 14, 1969, 172-241.
  3. K. V. Sarma (1997), "Paulisa", Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures edited by Helaine Selin, page 808, Springer, ISBN 978-0-7923-4066-9
  4. Banerjee, Gauranga Nath (1995). Hellenism in Ancient India. HardPress Publishing. p. 163. ISBN 978-1290710176.
  5. Pingree, David Edwin (1970), Census of the exact sciences in Sanskrit, Volume 5, American Philosophical Society, p. 223, ISBN 978-0-87169-146-0
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