JitÃÂri (or JetÃÂri, Tibetan Wylie: Dgra las rnam rgyal, c. latter half of the 10th century) was an influential Indian Buddhist philosopher who followed the Epistemological school of Dharmakërti and Madhyamaka. He is considered one of the greatest panditas of the 10th century. He was the teacher of Atià Âa (c. 982âÂÂ1054), RatnÃÂkaraà ÂÃÂnti and Durvekamià Âra (c. 970âÂÂ1030). JitÃÂri is also the name of one of the eighty-four mahÃÂsiddhas.
Some details about JitÃÂri's life can be gleaned for various sources. According to a later biographical sketch by Taranatha JitÃÂri was born in Varendra (Bengal). His father GarbhapÃÂda attended the court of King SanÃÂtana of Varendra, a vassal of the PÃÂlas. JitÃÂri's father was a tantric guru who initiated him into Buddhist Vajrayana practices (especially that of Mañjughoá¹£a) as well as the study of Buddhist philosophy. JitÃÂri eventually became a renowned scholar and was granted the title of Paá¹Âá¸Âá»Âta at Vikramaà Âilàuniversity by King MahÃÂpÃÂla (r. until 940 CE). Tibetan sources mention that JitÃÂri was a teacher of Atià Âa and RatnÃÂkaraà ÂÃÂnti at Vikramaà ÂilÃÂ. Apparently he remained a lay disciple (upasaka) throughout his life.
Regarding his philosophical position, Tibetan authors often classify him as a YogÃÂcÃÂra-SvÃÂtantrika MÃÂdhyamika. According to Junjie Chu, in his Topics of Debate (VÃÂdasthÃÂnÃÂni), JitÃÂri follows the consciousness-only system of Dharmakërti. In the Verses on the Classification of Buddhist Systems (Sugatamatavibhaá¹ gakÃÂrikÃÂ, lit. "Differentiating the Sugata's Texts") however, he outlines the YogÃÂcÃÂra system and then later refutes the ultimate existence of consciousness from a Madhyamaka perspective. Junjie Chu also argues that JitÃÂri supports the VijñÃÂnavÃÂda theory which says that awareness has the image of the object (sÃÂkÃÂravÃÂda).
Thus, according to Junjie Chu:<blockquote>If we do not assume that there are two philosophers who bear the same name, we have to consider the possibility that JitÃÂri articulates his different philosophical positions in his two works. In his philosophical work Topics of Debate, he refutes various mainly non-Buddhist theories from the YogÃÂcÃÂra point of view, and in his doxographical work Verses on the Classification of Buddhist Systems and its Commentary, he refutes YogÃÂcÃÂra theory from the Madhyamaka position. In this reading, we can say that he speaks differently to different audiences. Another possibility, however, is that these two works were composed in different periods and that in between these two periods, his thought underwent a radical change from the one philosophical perspective to the other. Since the edition and the philosophico-historical studies on the Topics of Debate are still in the early stage, no decisive conclusion can be offered.</blockquote>However, JitÃÂri seems to have seen both systems as ultimately having the same intent. Even in the Verses on the Classification of Buddhist Systems, JitÃÂri heavily relies on Dharmakirti's system of reasoning throughout the text, calling him "the crest jewel of epistemologists", and "the supreme lord of reasoning". Towards the end of the text, he quotes Dharmakirti and attempts to prove that his ultimate view was also the view of Madhyamaka, writing: "What intelligent person would believe that Dharmakirti was averse to the Madhyamaka siddhanta?".
JitÃÂri was a prolific author, writing on many Buddhist and non-Buddhist topics that were discussed in the epistemological tradition of Dharmakirti.
His works include many works of philosophy, epistemology (pramana) and reasoning (hetuvidya). Many of these were collected together into a compendium called Topics of Debate (VÃÂdasthÃÂnÃÂni). Some of his philosophical works include:
He also wrote various Mahayana works and commentaries including:
JitÃÂri also wrote various Vajrayana works, mostly tantric sadhanas and ritual texts on various deities like Hevajra, Candamaharosana, Avalokiteshvara, Aksobhya, Prajnaparamita, Pancaraksa, and Aparamitayus.