Re; Antiquity

[B. Shankar]

Namaste,

I have been reading from the archives the posts with regards to the
comparison of Madhaymika and Advaita and the antiquity of Advaita.

I did have a question with regards to the antiquity in light of the
following from the Sri Kanchi Kamokoti Peetham web-site.

If I may quote the following from the Sri Kanchi Kamokoti Peetham web-site:

“More than 2500 years ago, an avalanche of heretic and non-Vedic sects,
with horrible religious practices threatened to wipe away the ancient Veda-
Dharma. In the Bhagavad Geeta, Lord Krishna has told Arjuna that, whenever
there arises danger to Dharma, He (Krishna) will incarnate in this world to
eradicate adharma and re-establish Dharma. In consonance with his words,
the Lord has made partial incarnations during the course of the present
Kali Age. And such an incarnation is the partial incarnation of Siva as
Sankara Bhagavatpada, which happened some twenty-five centuries ago, on the
prayer of celestials to Lord Siva to redeem Bharata-desa from the clutches
of non-Vedic heretic sects. Several sources of authentic information lead
to the conclusion that Sri Adi Sankara was born at Kaladi on the fifth day
of the bright fortnight of the Vaisaka month of the cyclic year Nandana in
cyclic year Nandana - Kali 2593 corresponding to 509 B.C.” Sri Kanchi
Kamokoti Peetham

My understanding was that Buddha lived between 560 and 480 BCE and that
Nagarjuna lived between the 1st and 2nd centuries CE. If these dates are
correct then this would mean that Sri Adi Shankaracharya and Buddha lived
around the same time.  In fact Buddha would have been around 50 when Sri
Shankaracharya was born.  This would suggest that it is possible that Sri
Gaudapada predates Buddha.

I request your insights into this – as I am somewhat confused.

Kind Regards,

Shankar