Verse 516-517

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

न हि तत्कार्यमात्मीयं संदंशेनेव कारणम् ।
गृहीत्वा जनयत्येतद्यौगपद्यं यतो भवेत् ॥ ५१६ ॥
नापि गाढं समालिङ्ग्य प्रकृतिं जायते फलम् ।
कामीव दयिता येन सकृद्भावस्तयोर्भवेत् ॥ ५१७ ॥

na hi tatkāryamātmīyaṃ saṃdaṃśeneva kāraṇam |
gṛhītvā janayatyetadyaugapadyaṃ yato bhavet || 516 ||
nāpi gāḍhaṃ samāliṅgya prakṛtiṃ jāyate phalam |
kāmīva dayitā yena sakṛdbhāvastayorbhavet || 517 ||

As a matter of fact, when the cause produces its effect, it does hot do so by holding the effect in the manner of the pair of tongs,—by reason of which there would be simultaneity between the two, nor does the effect come into existence, by firmly embracing its cause, in the manner of the lover embracing the beloved,—by reason of which the two could be regarded as coming into existence at one and the same time.—(516-517)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

Says the Opponent:—“The relation of Cause and Effect is the same as the relation of ‘Agent and Object’; and as such it would be highly incongruous if the two factors appeared at different times. For instance, between the Potter and the Jar, the relation of ‘Agent and Object’ is perceived only when the two are there at the same time

The answer to this is provided in the following—[see verses 516-517 above]

If, in the producing of the Effect, the Cause operated in the manner of the Pair of Tongs,—or if the Effect, in the process of coming into existence were to do so by embracing its Cause in the manner in which a woman is embraced,—then there might be simultaneity and co-existence of the two always. As a matter of fact, however, the whole of this universe is entirely devoid of activity, there is, in reality, no ‘active agent’ or ‘objective’ at all,—apart from ‘Convention—Such is the sense of the whole answer.

‘Prakṛti’—is cause.—(516-517)

Opponent—“If that is so, and everything, the Cause as well as the Effect, is inactive, how is it that people are found to make use of such verbal expressions as ‘the Fire produces Smoke’, ‘the smoke comes into existence on the basis of Fire,’ and so forth?”

The answer to this is provided in the following—[see verses 518-519 above]