People of the traditions

Thinkers

Sages, systematisers, commentators, poets and modern teachers. Some are historical figures with debated dates; some are known through tradition and legend — each profile says which.

Editorial overview

अभिनवगुप्तAbhinavaguptaScholars place him around 950–1020 CE.Kashmir Shaivism (Pratyabhijna / Trika) · Shaivism · Tantra

गौतम बुद्धSiddhartha Gautama, the BuddhaTraditionally c. 563–483 BCE; many scholars now place his death around 400 BCE. Dates are debated.Buddhist philosophy · Theravada

गौडपादGaudapadaScholars generally place him around the 6th–7th century CE; dates are uncertain.Advaita Vedanta · Vedanta

अक्षपाद गौतमGautama (Akshapada)The Nyaya Sutras are placed by scholars roughly between the 2nd century BCE and the 2nd century CE, and probably grew in layers.Nyaya

गुरु नानकGuru Nanak1469–1539 CE.Sikh philosophy (Gurmat)

ईश्वरकृष्णIshvarakrishnaScholars generally place him around the 4th–5th century CE.Sankhya

जैमिनिJaiminiThe Mimamsa Sutras are commonly placed in the last centuries BCE, though dates are uncertain.Purva Mimamsa

कणादKanadaDates are highly uncertain; scholars' estimates for the Vaisheshika Sutras range from several centuries BCE to the early centuries CE.Vaisheshika

कपिलKapilaLegendary figure; no historical dating is possible.Sankhya

क्षेमराजKshemarajaLate 10th to 11th century CE.Kashmir Shaivism (Pratyabhijna / Trika) · Shaivism · Tantra

कुमारिल भट्टKumarila BhattaScholars generally place him in the 7th century CE.Purva Mimamsa

मध्वाचार्यMadhvacharyaTraditionally 1238–1317 CE; some scholars prefer 1199–1278 CE.Dvaita Vedanta · Vedanta · Bhakti traditions

महावीरMahaviraTraditionally 599–527 BCE; many scholars place him later, as a contemporary of the Buddha in the 5th century BCE.Jain philosophy

मेय्कण्डार्MeykandarTraditionally placed in the early 13th century CE.Shaiva Siddhanta · Shaivism

नागार्जुनNagarjunaScholars generally place him around the 2nd century CE (roughly 150–250 CE).Madhyamaka · Buddhist philosophy

पतञ्जलिPatanjaliThe Yoga Sutras are placed by scholars anywhere between about the 2nd century BCE and the 5th century CE; many recent scholars favour a date around the 4th–5th century CE.Yoga (Patanjala)

प्रभाकरPrabhakaraScholars generally place him in the 7th century CE, around the time of Kumarila; their exact chronological relation is debated.Purva Mimamsa

रमण महर्षिRamana Maharshi1879–1950 CE (modern).Advaita Vedanta · Modern expositions

रामानुजाचार्यRamanujacharyaTraditionally 1017–1137 CE; the traditional lifespan of 120 years is often questioned and scholars treat the dates as approximate (11th–12th century CE).Vishishtadvaita Vedanta · Vedanta · Bhakti traditions

स्वामी रामसुखदासSwami Ramsukhdas20th century; c. 1904–2005 CE (birth date reported variously).Modern expositions · Bhakti traditions · Vedanta

आदि शङ्कराचार्यAdi ShankaracharyaTraditionally 788–820 CE; many scholars prefer an earlier 8th-century or late 7th-century date. Dates are debated.Advaita Vedanta · Vedanta

तिरुवल्लुवर्TiruvalluvarDates are much debated; scholars' estimates range from the last centuries BCE to about the 5th–6th century CE.Tamil ethical literature

तुलसीदासTulsidasc. 1532–1623 CE; his birth date is debated, with some traditions placing it earlier.Bhakti traditions · Epics & Puranas (Itihasa-Purana)

उमास्वातिUmasvatiScholars place him anywhere between the 2nd and 5th centuries CE; dates are debated.Jain philosophy

वाल्मीकिValmikiLegendary figure; the Valmiki Ramayana is placed by scholars roughly between the 5th century BCE and the early centuries CE, in layers.Epics & Puranas (Itihasa-Purana)

वसुगुप्तVasuguptaTraditionally placed in the 9th century CE.Kashmir Shaivism (Pratyabhijna / Trika) · Shaivism

स्वामी विवेकानन्दSwami Vivekananda1863–1902 CE (modern).Modern expositions · Advaita Vedanta · Vedanta

व्यासVyasa (Veda Vyasa)Legendary figure; tradition places him at the end of the Dvapara age. No historical dating is possible.Epics & Puranas (Itihasa-Purana) · Vedic & Upanishadic foundations · Vedanta