The Tattvasangraha [with commentary]

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

This page contains verse 1521-1522 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 1521-1522.

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

विवक्षायां च गम्यायां विस्पष्टैव त्रिरूपता ।
पुंसि धर्मिणि सा साध्या कार्येण वचसा यतः ॥ १५२१ ॥
पादपार्थविवक्षावान्पुरुषोऽयं प्रतीयते ।
वृक्षशब्दप्रयोक्तृत्वात्पूर्वावस्थास्वहं यथा ॥ १५२२ ॥

vivakṣāyāṃ ca gamyāyāṃ vispaṣṭaiva trirūpatā |
puṃsi dharmiṇi sā sādhyā kāryeṇa vacasā yataḥ || 1521 ||
pādapārthavivakṣāvānpuruṣo'yaṃ pratīyate |
vṛkṣaśabdaprayoktṛtvātpūrvāvasthāsvahaṃ yathā || 1522 ||

When the ‘desire to speak’ is the thing to be inferred, the presence of the three features is quite clear;—the man is the minor term, wherein the presence of the desire is the probandum, which is proved by its effect in the shape of the verbal statement (probans). For example (the form of the inference would be)—this man is cognised as having had the desire to speak of the tree,—because he has uttered the word ‘tree’,—just as i had done under previous circumstances.—(1521-1522)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

Says the Opponent—“We grant that words can serve as the means of cognising the ‘Desire to Speak’; but what is the Minor Term, what the Probandum,—what too the well-known relation between them,—by virtue of which the Verbal Statement can be regarded as a full-fledged Three-featured Inference,—and not a distinct Means of Cognition by itself?”

Answer:—[see verses 1521-1522 above]

The Man is the Minor Term,—where he is actually seen;—the desire to speak is the Probandum;—the relation consists of occurring in the same ‘chain’, as shown before.—Where, however, the speaker is not visible, the Place would be the Minor Term,—and the man with the said desire would be the Probandum; because the place also is one of the causes of the Word; as is clear from the fact that the Word that is heard in places like the mountain-cave is different from that heard elsewhere.—(1521-1522)

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