[Footnote 3: Telang wishes to put S'a@nkara's date somewhere in the 8th century, and Ve@nkates'vara would have him in 805 A.D.-897 A.D., as he did not believe that S'a@nkara could have lived only for 32 years. J.R.A.S. 1916.]
[Footnote 4: Compare Lankâvatâra, p. 29, Katha@m ca gaganopamam.]
[Footnote 5: Gau@dapâda's kârikâ, IV. 2, 4.]
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Again, in IV. 42 he says that it was for those realists (vastuvâdi), who since they found things and could deal with them and were afraid of non-being, that the Buddhas had spoken of origination (jâti). In IV. 90 he refers to agrayâna which we know to be a name of Mahâyâna. Again, in IV. 98 and 99 he says that all appearances are pure and vacuous by nature. These the Buddhas, the emancipated one (mukta) and the leaders know first. It was not said by the Buddha that all appearances (dharma) were knowledge. He then closes the kârikâs with an adoration which in all probability also refers to the Buddha [Footnote ref 1].
Gau@dapâda's work is divided into four chapters: (i) Âgama (scripture), (2) Vaitathya (unreality), (3) Advaita (unity), (4) Alâtas'ânti (the extinction of the burning coal). The first chapter is more in the way of explaining the Mâ@n@dûkya Upani@sad by virtue of which the entire work is known as Mâ@n@dûkyakârikâ. The second, third, and fourth chapters are the constructive parts of Gau@dapâda's work, not particularly connected with the Mâ@n@dûkya Upani@sad.
In the first chapter Gau@dapâda begins with the three apparent manifestations of the self: (1) as the experiencer of the external world while we are awake (vis'va or vais'vânara âtmâ), (2) as the experiencer in the dream state (taijasa âtmâ), (3) as the experiencer in deep sleep (su@supti), called the prâjña when there is no determinate knowledge, but pure consciousness and pure bliss (ânanda). He who knows these three as one is never attached to his experiences. Gau@dapâda then enumerates some theories of creation: some think that the world has proceeded as a creation from the prâ@na (vital activity), others consider creation as an expansion (vibhûti) of that cause from which it has proceeded; others imagine that creation is like dream (svapna) and magic (mâyâ); others, that creation proceeds simply by the will of the Lord; others that it proceeds from time; others that it is for the enjoyment of the Lord (bhogârtham) or for his play only (kri@dârtham), for such is the nature (svabhâva) of the Lord, that he creates, but he cannot have any longing, as all his desires are in a state of fulfilment.
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[Footnote 1: Gau@dapâda's kârikâ IV. 100. In my translation I have not followed S'a@nkara, for he has I think tried his level best to explain away even the most obvious references to Buddha and Buddhism in Gau@dapâda's kârikâ. I have, therefore, drawn my meaning directly as Gau@dapâda's kârikâs seemed to indicate. I have followed the same principle in giving the short exposition of Gau@dapâda's philosophy below.]
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