Sanjaya Belathiputta

Indian philosopher

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

Sanjaya Belathiputta was an Indian philosopher known for his skepticism. He was active in the 6th century BCE, a period of significant philosophical and religious questioning in India. When asked direct questions about existence, such as whether there is an afterlife, Sanjaya would not provide a definitive "yes" or "no" answer, nor would he affirm or deny the opposite. His approach was to avoid taking a firm stance, making him a notable figure among the various schools of thought that were challenging established Brahmanic doctrines at the time.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Indian philosophy
Background
…possibility of omniscience, and, finally, Sanjaya Belathiputta, the skeptic, who, in reply to the question “Is there an afterlife?” would not say “It is so” or “It is otherwise,” nor would he say “It is not so” or “It is not not so.”
Read More
…possibility of omniscience, and, finally, Sanjaya Belathiputta, the skeptic, who, in reply to the question “Is there an afterlife?” would not say “It is so” or “It is otherwise,” nor would he say “It is not so” or “It is not not so.”
Read More