BUDDHAPALITA

'Buddhapalita' (470–550), was a commentator on the works of Nagarjuna and Aryadeva. His works were mildly criticised by his contemporary Bhavaviveka, and then he was vigorously defended by the later Candrakirti, whose terms differentiating the two scholars led to the rise of the Prasaṅgika and Svatantrika schools of Madhyamaka. In this sense, Buddhapalita can be said to have been the founder of the Prasaṅgika Madhyamaka School.