Verse 107

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

स्वतो भावे ह्यहेतुत्वं स्वक्रियाया विरोधतः ।
अपेक्षया हि भावानां कादाचित्कत्वसंभवः ॥ १०७ ॥

svato bhāve hyahetutvaṃ svakriyāyā virodhataḥ |
apekṣayā hi bhāvānāṃ kādācitkatvasaṃbhavaḥ || 107 ||

If it were self-produced, then it would be causeless; as any operation of a thing upon itself is a contradiction in terms.—if there were dependence (upon something else) then the effects would be such as would appear at only certain times.—(107)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

Says the Opponent—“If the said manifested Potency be self-sufficient (self-produced)—why should that be incompatible with the fact of its appearing at only certain times?”

The answer is supplied by the following Text:—[see verse 107 above]

If the ‘production’ (of the Manifested Potency) were due to itself—its own nature,—then it would most certainly be causeless.

Question—“Why should an effect produced from itself be causeless,—when its own nature (or essence) would be its Cause?”

Answer—Any operation of a thing upon itself is a contradiction in terms; any causal action of a thing upon itself—its own essence,—is incompatible.

The following might be urged:—“Let it be causeless; even so the Effect would not appear at only certain times.”

Answer—If there were dependence, etc. etc.—Things that are dependent for their existence upon other things can appear only at certain times; as their existence and non-existence would be dependent upon the presence and absence of those other things. Those that are not dependent for their existence upon other things,—as they do not need the aid of anything else,—why should they appear at certain times only?—(107)

Other Tibetan Buddhism Concepts:

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