IttiHaas Chronicle
philosophy

Rare 9th-Century 'Prameya-Prakasha' Scroll Discovered in Ancient Vikramshila Site Outlines Early Epistemology of Doubt

📅 April 10, 2026 📰 Asiatic Research Journal
Rare 9th-Century 'Prameya-Prakasha' Scroll Discovered in Ancient Vikramshila Site Outlines Early Epistemology of Doubt

A team of researchers from the Archaeological Survey of India has recovered a 9th-century birch-bark scroll from a hidden niche in the ruins of Vikramshila University. Titled 'Prameya-Prakasha', the manuscript explores the Samsaya-Vada (philosophy of doubt) within the Nyaya tradition. It provides a systematic defense of "skeptical inquiry" as a necessary precursor to valid knowledge, challenging the dogmatic certainties found in contemporary theological treatises.

The scroll is notable for its synthesis of Vedic logical structures with early Buddhist dialectics, suggesting a high degree of cross-pollination between the two traditions at the university. This find is expected to provide new insights into the "middle period" of Indian logic, where intellectual rigor was prioritized over sectarian boundaries.

Original source: Asiatic Research Journal