Verse 334-335

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

किं वा निवर्त्तयेद्योगी योगाभ्यासेन साधयेत् ।
किं वा न हातुं शक्यो हि विपर्यासस्तदात्मकः ॥ ३३४ ॥
तत्त्वज्ञानं न चोत्पाद्यं तादात्म्यात्सर्वदा स्थितेः ।
योगाभ्यासोऽपि तेनायमफलः सर्व एव च ॥ ३३५ ॥

kiṃ vā nivarttayedyogī yogābhyāsena sādhayet |
kiṃ vā na hātuṃ śakyo hi viparyāsastadātmakaḥ || 334 ||
tattvajñānaṃ na cotpādyaṃ tādātmyātsarvadā sthiteḥ |
yogābhyāso'pi tenāyamaphalaḥ sarva eva ca || 335 ||

What could the mystic set aside or accomplish by the practice of yoga? What too is there that could be rejected? As wrong cognition also is of the nature of the same (eternal cognition).—The knowledge of truth also cannot be something to be brought about; as, being of the nature of cognition, it is always there.—So that the entire practice of yoga also is entirely fruitless.—(334-335)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

If it be held that ‘Bondage and Liberation are only assumed, not real’;—then it becomes necessary to explain the basis of this assumption. What this basis is under the doctrine of ‘Cognitions being non-eternal’ has been shown above. Thus the Effort—in the form of the contemplation of Truth,—that you put forth for the attaining of the ‘Ultimate Aim’ and for passing beyond the cycle of Birth and Death, can only lead to futile fatigue.—This is shown in the following—[see verses 334-335 above]

If, by the contemplation of Truth, the Mystic could set aside, or bring about, anything, then his Effort would be fruitful. As it is however, he can never set aside Wrong Cognition, because it is of the nature of the same,—i.e. of the nature of Eternal Cognition.—For the same reason it cannot be rejected; because what is eternal cannot be destructible and hence its rejection is impossible.—How can the Yogin accomplish—bring about—the Knowledge of Truth? Being of the nature of Eternal Cognition, the Knowledge of Truth would be always there.—Thus the doctrine in question cannot be right.—(334-335)