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Esther A Solomon
lo 546 A D, where he stayed till his death in 569 AD Paramartha translated into Chinese ths Samkhya Karika with a commentary In the period 557-567 AD Thug sinco Paramartha's dato is 499-569 AD. Gunamatl can be said to have lived in the period 450-530 AD and Mädbave was perhaps his senior contemporary Madbava can be sald to have lived in the fifth century, and been active in the latter half of it Gunamati is knowo to have written & commentary on the Abhidharmakoša, whereln be refuted the dualistic teaching of the Samkhya school as also the Madbyamika view of Bhavya (Bhavaviveka) There was a constant struggle for royal patronage in the times of the Guptas, right up to the times of Paru Gupta and Narasimha Gupta (-467 AD and later-) and It is understandable that Gunamali should have challenged Madhava to a debate.
That Madbaya's ego was powerful can be seen from Yoan Chwang's Account also His last wish was that his wife should continue the debate with Gupamati and she too concealed by ber dress and the like the death of her husband, but the sbarp Gunamati detected it from her sad face and bitterness of speech even at the beginning In Madhava's own days bla fume was great and surpassed that of former teachers, and outwelghed all then living. The king honoured him exceedingly and named him the "treasure of the country' He hed as bis means of subsistence two towns in the district and the surrounding houses paid bim for the privilege of buildIng (tenant dues ?)"
It ts no wonder that philosophers of other schools mention him with almost a sense of awe, and ibat Gunamati should have sought to Arrange a debate with him so that the interests of Buddhism in the kingdom phould not in any way suffer and the Samkhya school should fall from the high position it occupied in the eyes of the kings and learned circles
9 Prof Hatton too arriver, in a slightly different way at the following date Dagniga - 470 - 630 A D (Hattorl)
-480-540 A, D (Frauwallner) Gunamati - contemporary of Dignaga
Midhaya, saya Prof Hattori, was not alive when Dignåga composed tha Pramanasomurcaya, ha last work (See Dignēga on Perception', Introduction, pp 4-6-Hattori) According to Frauwallber,
the debate between Madhava and Gunampati took place in about 500 A D 4 See 'Travels of Houen Thsang', Vol III, PP 936-340-Samuel Beal (Susil Gupta Ltd., Oculta 12. New Edition 1958) On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India', II, P 108-Thomas Wutara (London, Royal Asiatic Society, Vol 1.1904, Vol II 1905), Origin and DevelopFrant of the Samkhya System of Thought, pp 154 155-Pulibebari Chakravarti, Calcutta, 1960), Sümkhya Darsana Ka Irihasa PP 593-536--Pandits Udayavira Santa
