Paulisa Siddhanta

The Pauliśa Siddhānta (literally, "The scientific-treatise of Pauliśa 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 Pauliśa Siddhānta is totally false".^[2] Similarly, K. V. Sarma writes that it is from a Greek source, known only as Pauliśa.^[3]

The earlier Pauliśa-siddhānta dates from the third or fourth century, and the later Pauliśa-siddhānta from the eighth century.^[4]

It follows the Yavanajātaka ("Saying of the Greek") as an example of the transmission of Western astronomical knowledge (especially the Alexandrian school) to India during the first centuries of our era.

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

See also

• Indo-Greeks
• Alexander the Great
• Romaka Siddhanta

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), Helaine Selin, ed., Encyclopaedia of the history of science, technology, and medicine in non-western cultures, Springer, p. 808, ISBN 978-0-7923-4066-9
4. Pingree, David Edwin (1970), Census of the exact sciences in Sanskrit, Volume 5, American Philosophical Society, p. 223, ISBN 978-0-87169-146-0

External links

• Indian astronomy and Western influences