Vasubandhu and the Vādavidhi

Conclusion

This analysis significantly advances the discourse on Vasubandhu's *Vadavidhi* by rigorously challenging prior assumptions about textual identity and authorship. By demonstrating substantial textual parallels between Uddyotakara's citations and fragments attributed to Vasubandhu's *Vadavidhi*, the study strengthens the case for Uddyotakara's direct engagement with Vasubandhu's logic treatise. The identification of shared definitions, particularly *pratipad*, *pakṣa*, and *anumāna*, provides compelling evidence that Uddyotakara drew directly from Vasubandhu’s work rather than Dharmakirti’s *Vidyāyaya*. The corroboration by Vācaspati further solidifies this conclusion, refuting earlier claims of textual confusion. The study underscores the importance of precise textual comparison in resolving historical and philosophical attributions, ultimately affirming the *Vadavidhi* as a distinct and influential work in the development of Buddhist logic.