A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 756 pages of information about A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1.

A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 756 pages of information about A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1.

Again, in IV. 42 he says that it was for those realists (vastuvadi), who since they found things and could deal with them and were afraid of non-being, that the Buddhas had spoken of origination (jati).  In IV. 90 he refers to agrayana which we know to be a name of Mahayana.  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 karikas with an adoration which in all probability also refers to the Buddha [Footnote ref 1].

Gau@dapada’s work is divided into four chapters:  (i) Agama (scripture), (2) Vaitathya (unreality), (3) Advaita (unity), (4) Alatas’anti (the extinction of the burning coal).  The first chapter is more in the way of explaining the Ma@n@dukya Upani@sad by virtue of which the entire work is known as Ma@n@dukyakarika.  The second, third, and fourth chapters are the constructive parts of Gau@dapada’s work, not particularly connected with the Ma@n@dukya Upani@sad.

In the first chapter Gau@dapada 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’vanara atma), (2) as the experiencer in the dream state (taijasa atma), (3) as the experiencer in deep sleep (su@supti), called the prajna when there is no determinate knowledge, but pure consciousness and pure bliss (ananda).  He who knows these three as one is never attached to his experiences.  Gau@dapada then enumerates some theories of creation:  some think that the world has proceeded as a creation from the pra@na (vital activity), others consider creation as an expansion (vibhuti) of that cause from which it has proceeded; others imagine that creation is like dream (svapna) and magic (maya); 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 (bhogartham) or for his play only (kri@dartham), for such is the nature (svabhava) 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@dapada’s karika 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@dapada’s karika.  I have, therefore, drawn my meaning directly as Gau@dapada’s karikas seemed to indicate.  I have followed the same principle in giving the short exposition of Gau@dapada’s philosophy below.]

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A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.