Q. With reference to Indian history, consider the following pairs : Historical person Known as

1. Aryadeva - Jaina scholar
2. Dignaga - Buddhist scholar
3. Nathamuni - Vaishnava scholar

How many pairs given above are correctly matched? (UPSC Prelims 2022)
Answer: Only two pairs
Notes: The correct answer is [C] Only two pairs. Identifying the religious affiliations of ancient scholars is a frequent theme in UPSC history questions.

• Aryadeva (Pair 1 – Incorrect): He was a renowned Buddhist scholar and a primary disciple of Nagarjuna. He is a central figure in the Madhyamaka school of Mahayana Buddhism and authored the Catuhsataka. He was not a Jaina scholar.
• Dignaga (Pair 2 – Correct): He was an influential Buddhist scholar and is considered the father of Buddhist Logic (Pramana). A student of Vasubandhu, he authored the Pramana Samuccaya, which laid the foundation for the epistemological tradition in Indian philosophy.
• Nathamuni (Pair 3 – Correct): He was a celebrated Vaishnava scholar and the first of the Sri Vaishnava Acharyas. He is credited with collecting and systematizing the Nalayira Divya Prabandham (the 4,000 hymns of the Alvars) and authored the Yoga Rahasya.

Therefore, only the second and third pairs are correctly matched. Understanding the distinction between these philosophical traditions—Mahayana Buddhism (Aryadeva, Dignaga) and the Bhakti-oriented Vaishnavism (Nathamuni)—is key to solving such pairing questions.