The Tattvasangraha [with commentary]

by Ganganatha Jha | 1937 | 699,812 words | ISBN-10: 8120800583 | ISBN-13: 9788120800588

This page contains verse 292 of the 8th-century Tattvasangraha (English translation) by Shantarakshita, including the commentary (Panjika) by Kamalashila: dealing with Indian philosophy from a Buddhist and non-Buddhist perspective. The Tattvasangraha (Tattvasamgraha) consists of 3646 Sanskrit verses; this is verse 292.

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

अभिलाषानुरूपेण प्रकृतिश्चेत्प्रयच्छति ।
पङ्ग्वन्धवद्धि संबन्धस्तयोरेष व्यवस्थितः ॥ २९२ ॥

abhilāṣānurūpeṇa prakṛtiścetprayacchati |
paṅgvandhavaddhi saṃbandhastayoreṣa vyavasthitaḥ || 292 ||

If it be held that—“it is primordial matter that bestows the fruits, in accordance with the desires of the soul; and this relationship between the two stands like that between the lame and the blind persons”,—[then the answer is as given in the following text].—(292)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

Though the Soul is not the doer of deeds, yet it is Primordial Matter that presents to him things, in accordance with his desires, and then he enjoys these things.—So that there is none of the incongruity that has been urged.

Question:—“Primordial Matter being insentient, how can it be the Doer of good and bad deeds, by virtue of which it brings about the fruits of deeds for the Soul according to his desires?”

Answer:—This relationship, etc.; just as the Blind man acts towards things, through his connecti on with the man with eyes,—so do the Cosmic Intellect and other ‘divergent’ngs perform the functions of ‘determining’ and the rest towards such effects as Merit, etc,, through their contact with the Soul, which is sentient.—This has been thus asserted—“The Soul serves the purpose of bringing about Perception (of Matter), and Primordial Matter serves to bring about Liberation (of the Soul); the connection between these two thus is like that between the Lame and the Blind; and creation (evolution) proceeds from this connection” (Sāṃkhyakārikā, 21’,—(292)

The above argument is answered in the following—[see verse 293 next]

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