Dharma Pātañjala. A Śaiva scripture from ancient Java studied in the light of related old Javanese and Sanskrit texts

Acri, A. (2011)

Doctoral Thesis

My dissertation consists of three parts. Part I is an introduction to the Old Javanese-Sanskrit Śaiva text forming the main focus of the book, namely the Dharma Patañjala, which has been preserved on a palm-leaf codex unicus of West Javanese origin dating back to the 15th century AD. Part II presents a diplomatic edition with facsimile reproductions of the manuscript, as well as a critical edition with facing annotated translation. Part III is a systematic study focusing on the interpretation of doctrines taught in the Dharma Pātañjala in comparison with related Sanskrit scriptures from the Indian Subcontinent and Old Javanese texts from the Indonesian Archipelago.The Dharma Pātañjala documents an early tradition of speculative texts (Tattva), which was previously known to us only through two Old Javanese scriptures, namely the Vṛhaspatitattva and the Tattvajñāna. Its author, having adopted a Pātañjala form of yoga instead of the Śaiva variety that is common in other Old Javanese texts, elaborated a syncretic system and followed an hitherto unknown commentarial tradition to the Sanskrit Yogasūtrathat is related to that of the Bhāṣya. The text fills a gap in our knowledge of Śaiva theology in pre-Islamic Indonesia, but also casts light on the origin and development of Śaivism in the Indian Subcontinent.

• Old Javanese
• Pata_jali
• _aivasiddh_nta
• _aivism
• Sanskrit
• Tattva
• Tutur
• Yogas_tra

• All authors: Acri, A.
• Supervisor: Griffiths, A.
• Qualification: Doctor (dr.)
• Awarding Institution: Leiden University Instiute for AREA Studies (LIAS), Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University
• Date: 2011-02-03
• Court: LEI Universiteit Leiden