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Introduction : VIII Gandapada's Contribution etc, XLvii We see from the above, that of the Vedic works proper, Gaudapada makes most use of the Mandukya, Brhadåranyaka and Chandogya Upanişads, and in a lesser measure of Isa, Katha, Mundaka, Praśna and the Svetāśvatara. Of the Smrti(works, Bhagavadgită has influenced Gaudapāda most, giving him the idea of Asparśayoga, Mäyå and so forth. It would be possible to point out scores of similarities in the Yogavasiştha, but as that work ( at any rate a very large portion of it ) is generally taken to be later than Gauda pāda, we have not taken much note of it. The same can be said to be the case with Paramārthasāra of Seșa. Of the non-Vedic works, the Lańkävatāra and the Mulamadhyamakärikäs have undoubtedly influenced Gaudapāda a good deal. He seems to have thoroughly mastered the Mahāyāna Buddhist philosophy, but mainly for the purpose of showing where his doctrine of nonorigination differed from that of the Buddhists, In short, Gaudapáda, after having studied the current philosophical thoughts of his time, was willing to borrow from earlier works whatever would strengthen his. Ajātivāda against rival doctrines, whether Vedic or non-Vedic. VIII Gaudapāda's Contribution to Indian Philosophical Thought Gauda pada can claim to be the first systematic exponent of the Advaita doctrine, and especially of Ajātivada. Sankarācārya describes him as one who knew well the traditional Vedānta doctrines. Gaudapäda's teachings provided the firm foundation on which Sankarācārya and his successors in the Advaita field, built their edifice of detailed, analytical exposition of the Advaita theory. The late Mahamahopadhyāya Vasudeva Shastri Abhyankar (in the introduction to his edition of Siddhāntabindu ) makes the following observations in this connection, which clearly bring out the significance and importance of the contribution of both Gauda pada and Sankarācārya. कारिकास्वसु यद् गौडपादाचार्याणामभिप्रेतं तच्छङ्कराचार्यैः ध्वनितम् । ध्वनितं । यद् गौडपादाचार्यैः प्रतिपादितं तच्छङ्कराचार्यैः साधितम् यद् गौड़पादाचार्यैः तच्छङ्कराचार्यैः सिद्धान्ततया प्रतिष्ठापितम् ।
