bill: > For Shankara "Vainashika-Tantra" (annihilation teaching) > Maybe so, but the term 'tantra' doesn't mean 'annihilation' in Sanskrit. There are many meanings for the term 'tantra', as explained by Bhattacharyya. Tantra can mean 'warp', 'thread' or 'web'. Tantric Buddhism probably came into existence in the 6th or 7th century A.D.
> was a synonym for the texts of the Shunya-vada > (empty-doctrine) which is what he called Buddhists > (Shunya-vadin)... > Maybe so, Shankara is supposed to have quoted the Buddhist logician Dharmakirti, who lived in the 7th century. Advaita Vedanta is a copy of the Buddhist Tantrism, according to T.R.V. Murti. Gaudapada for example, is much influenced by Mahayana, Yogacara, and Madhyamika. It can be said that Gaudapada represents the best in Nagarjuna and Vasubandhu. 1. Excerpt from Mandukhya Karika IV by Gaudapada: "Duality is only an appearance; non-duality is the real truth. The object exists as an object for the knowing subject; but it does not exist outside of conciousness because the distinction of subject and object is within conciousness" (IV 25-27, Sharma, p. 245-246. 2. Excerpt from Mahayana Sutra Lankara by Asanga: "Pure conciousness is the only Reality. By its nature, it is Self-luminous." (XIII, 13). "Thus shaking off duality, he directly percieves the Absolute which is the unity underlying phenomena (Dharmadhatu)" (VI, 7, Sharma, p. 112-113. Work cited: 'A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy' A Study of Adwaita in Buddhism, Vedanta, and Kashmira Shaivism Chandrahar Sharma, MA, D.Phill., D. Litt., Acharya Formerly Professor of Philosophy, University of Jabalpur Links of interest: Subject: Essays on the vedAntic Origins of TM Author: Willytex Newsgroups: alt.meditation.transcendental Date: July 14, 2003 Other titles of interest: 'The Adwaita Tradition in Indian Philosophy' By Chandrahar Sharma Rider 1960 'Central Philosophy of Buddhism' By T. R. V. Murti George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1968 'Causality' By David J. Kalupahana University of Hawaii Oress, 1975
