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xxii Gaudapada-Karika The wise have described what is Jñana, jñeya and Vijneya ; this should be properly grasped. In Laukika Jnana, there is duality where the external objects are believed to exist, along with their perception. In Pure Laukika Jnana, there are no external objects but their perception is admitted. In Lokottara Jñana, there are neither external objects, nor their perception and in course of time, the wise one would be entitled to have omniscience, All dharmas are by nature without beginning, like Akasa ; there is nothing manifold about them in any way. All are enlightened from the very beginning; all are likewise tranquil and pure from the very beginning. Every thing is thus unoriginated and same, Those who believe in manifold nature of Jivas or Dharmas are narrow-minded and dull-witted ; only those of large intellect can realise the unoriginated eternal. The unoriginated Dharmas have this Jñana by nature; it is not transferred to them, hence Jñāna is said to be contactless. Even if there is the slightest idea of manifoldness, the person comes to grief, for his Jñana ceases to be Asanga'. All dharmas are thus naturally pure, enlightened from the beginning, and liberated, -so realise the wise ones. The highest Jñana as described above is natural and cannot be transferred. Gautama Buddha did not preach this, The highest place (or Moksa ) is thus unoriginated, same, pure, free from duality, very difficult to grasp and to realise. III Was Gaudapada a Buddhist ?
Prof. Dasgupta in his 'A History of Indian Philosophy' (Vol. I, pp. 423-429 ) has discussed the question whether Gaudapada was a Buddhist, in great detail and his conclusion is that there is sufficient evidence in the Karikas for thinking that he was possibly himself a Buddhist and considered that the teachings of the Upanişads tallied with those of Buddha Gauda pāda assimilated all the Buddhist Sünyavāda and Vijñānavada teachings and thought that these hold good of the ultimate truth preached by the Upnisads.It is immaterial whether he was a Hindu or a Buddhist, so long as
