Verse 705

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

दृश्यत्वाभिमतं कर्म न वस्तुव्यतिरेकि च ।
दृश्यते सोपि नैवास्य सत्ता युक्त्यनुपातिनी ॥ ७०५ ॥

dṛśyatvābhimataṃ karma na vastuvyatireki ca |
dṛśyate sopi naivāsya sattā yuktyanupātinī || 705 ||

The action that is regarded as visible is nothing different from the object. even such existence of it as would be compatible with reason, is never actually perceived.—(705)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

Having thus established the annulment of the Opponent’s conclusion by Inference, the Author proceeds to show that it is annulled by Perception also:—[see verse 705 above]

If a perceptible thing is not perceived, it comes to be regarded by intelligent men as ‘non-existent’;—as Cloth not perceived at a certain place;—and Action is never perceived as apart from the Colour, etc. (of the object);—hence this is a reason for regarding it as naturally not-perceived (and hence non-existent). As a matter of fact, Action never becomes manifest in any Sense-perception, as anything apart from the Colour, etc. of the object as produced in a different position. As regards such notions associated with verbal expressions, as ‘Throwing up’, ‘Throwing down’ and the like,—they cannot be Perception, for the very reason that they are associated with verbal expression. Nor are they compatible with reason, if taken as associated with a distinct category in the shape of ‘Action’; because what are really seen are only the Colour, etc. as produced under certain conditions; and the verbal expressions (names) also are applied only to these latter, in accordance with Convention.—This has just been explained, when it was pointed out that no movement is possible in things either permanent or impermanent.

Thus it is not proved, as asserted, that the existence of Action is proved by Perception itself.—(705)

The above arguments are summed up in the following:—[see verse 706 next]