Verse 562-563

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

स्थूलार्थासंभवे तु स्यान्नैव वृक्षादिदर्शनम् ।
अतीन्द्रियतयाऽणूनां नचाणुवचनं भवेत् ॥ ५६२ ॥
स्थूलवस्तुव्यपेक्षो हि सुसूक्ष्मोऽर्थस्तथोच्यते ।
स्थूलैकवस्त्वभावे तु किमपेक्षास्य सूक्ष्मता ॥ ५६३ ॥

sthūlārthāsaṃbhave tu syānnaiva vṛkṣādidarśanam |
atīndriyatayā'ṇūnāṃ nacāṇuvacanaṃ bhavet || 562 ||
sthūlavastuvyapekṣo hi susūkṣmo'rthastathocyate |
sthūlaikavastvabhāve tu kimapekṣāsya sūkṣmatā || 563 ||

“If there were no gross substances, then the perception of the tree and such things would not be possible; because the atoms are beyond the reach of the senses; nor would the term ‘atom’ (small) be possible; because it is the extremely subtle thing that is so spoken of in relation to a gross substance; hence in the absence of the gross substance, in relation to what would its ‘subtlety’ be?”—(562-563)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

Having thus established the difference between the Composite and the Components, the Opponent proceeds to prove the same on the strength of Perception also:—[see verses 562-563 above]

If there were no Composite Substance, there would be the anomaly that there would be no Perception at all; as the Atoms themselves are beyond the reach of the Senses.—In the absence of the ‘gross’ thing again, the name ‘Atom’ (Small) itself would not be possible.—Why?—‘Because it is the extremely, etc.’—This is easy to understand.—(562-563)