Verse 108

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

तथा हि न ह्यभावस्य स्वात्मनि व्यापृतिर्मता ।
निष्पन्नस्यात्मनोऽप्यस्यामवस्थायां प्रसिद्धितः ॥ १०८ ॥

tathā hi na hyabhāvasya svātmani vyāpṛtirmatā |
niṣpannasyātmano'pyasyāmavasthāyāṃ prasiddhitaḥ || 108 ||

For instance, mere negation (absence) is not regarded as having any action upon itself;—as for the well-established positive entity, it is well known and recognised under the circumstances.—(108)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

Question—“How do you prove that there is ‘self-contradiction’ (incongruity) in a thing operating upon itself?”

The answer is given in the following Text:—[see verse 108 above]

When the ‘nature’ or ‘essence’ of the Effect produces itself,—is it itself an established entity or not? It cannot be an established entity; because under the circumstances, the said ‘essence’ is nothing apart from the established form; so that the recognition is as established as the ‘essence’ itself. Hence, as there would be nothing to be produced, whereupon could the Entity operate?—(108)