We may, perhaps, now venture to place before the
public the exact date assigned to Sankaracharya by Tibetan and Indian
initiates. According to the historical information in their possession
he was born in the year B.C. 510 (fifty-one years and two months after
the date of Buddha's Nirvana), and we believe that satisfactory evidence
in support of this date can be obtained in India if the inscriptions at
Conjeveram, Sringeri, Jaggurnath, Benares, Cashmere, and various other
places visited by Sankara, are properly deciphered. Sankara built
Conjeveram, which is considered as one of the most ancient towns in
Southern India; and it may be possible to ascertain the time of its
construction if proper inquiries are made. But even the evidence now
brought before the public supports the opinion of the Initiates above
indicated. As Goudapada was Sankaracharya's Guru's guru, his date
entirely depends on Sankara's date; and there is every reason to
suppose that he lived before Buddha.
Question VI.--"Historical Difficulty"--Why?
It is asked whether there may not be "some confusion" in the letter
quoted on p.
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