xxxviii Gaudapada-Karika Gauậapada directly says that his philosophical doctrine is different from that preached by Gautama Buddha. It is clear therefore that the position taken by the K-bhășya regarding the fourth Prakarana is unassailable and the arguments put forward by Prof. Vidhusekhara only prove the truth of the adage None are so blind as those who will not see'. It is further contended by Prof. Vidhuśekhara and others that the fourth Prakarana contains an exposition of Buddhist philoso- phical views and abounds in Buddhist thought and ideas. Various Kärikās are interpreted by them in this light. In the Notes, we have tried to show what should be the proper interpretation of these passages. Here we shall briefly discuss a few general objections. (1) Gaudapāda salutes Gautama Buddha who is referred to as द्विपदां वर at the beginning of the fourth Prakarana, and the अस्पर्शयोग taught by Buddha, at the end. Gaudapāda seems to have deliberately put in a Mangalasloka both at the beginning and at the end in imitation of certain Buddhistic works. He presumably wanted to meet the Buddhists on their own ground and to pay them in their own coin. Nägarjuna, while paying his obeisance to Buddha calls him again; Gaudapāda goes one better and calls his Master द्विपदां वर (the best of all human beings ), We have already shown elsewhere that द्विपदां वर cannot be regarded as a peculiarly Buddhist expression ; it is found in the Mahabhārata, and it probably refers to Suka, son of Vyasa, who is traditionally regarded as Gaudapāda's teacher, or to Nārāyana himself from whom the Vedantaśutrăstras come forth. Similarly अस्पर्शयोग is not directly referred to in Buddhist literature and Gaudapāda is undoubtedly indebted to the Bhagavad- gita. (मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय दुःखयोनय एव ते II. 14 and ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा ......V. 22 तं विद्यादुःखसंयोग etc. VI. 23 ) for the term अस्पर्शयोगः (2) Gaudapāda makes use of phraseology strongly reminiscent of Buddhist schools, and has modelled some of his Kārikäs on those of Nāgārjuna, Aryadeva, Asanga etc. The main doctrines taught in the fourth Prakarana are the unreality of the world and
