Our discussion was based on the Mandukya Upanishad, one of the ancient Upanishads of India.
At the end of the previous episode, I hinted that many Advaita philosophers of India hold a different view regarding these states of consciousness. In this episode, I will briefly discuss the alternative viewpoint presented by Gaudapada in his famous Mandukya Karika—that is, his exposition on the Mandukya Upanishad.
Who was Gaudapada?
Gaudapada was the original philosopher of the Advaita tradition. He belonged to the 6th century CE. He was the paramaguru (teacher's teacher) of the famous Advaita philosopher Shankara.
What did Gaudapada say?



