Verse 1612

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

कार्यार्थापत्तिगम्यं चेदपरं शक्तिलक्षणम् ।
न कार्यस्यान्यथाभावाद्भवत्येतद्धि भावतः ॥ १६१२ ॥

kāryārthāpattigamyaṃ cedaparaṃ śaktilakṣaṇam |
na kāryasyānyathābhāvādbhavatyetaddhi bhāvataḥ || 1612 ||

If the other characteristic of ‘potency’ were held to be cognisable through presumption based upon the fact of the effect being otherwise impossible,—this cannot be right, as the effect is actually produced otherwise,—as it proceeds from the object itself.—(1612)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

The following might be urged—“There is another characteristic of Potency—that is, Potency which is always cognisable through the fact of the effect not being otherwise possible; so that—‘being inferred from the effect’ would be the characteristic of Potency

This definition of Potency cannot be right.—“Why?”—Because the effect is actually produced otherwise,—that is, the effect is produced even without such a distinct thing as ‘Potency’.—“How so?”—It proceeds from the Object itself—Because this effect proceeds from the Object—the Thing—therefore the existence of the effect is possible even without the Potency; so that what is the use of assuming the Potency as something apart from the Thing itself?—(1612)