Verse 1697

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

तद्भावभावितां मुक्त्वा न हेतुफलताऽपरा ।
दृश्यादृष्टिं विहायान्या नास्तिता न प्रतीयते ॥ १६९७ ॥

tadbhāvabhāvitāṃ muktvā na hetuphalatā'parā |
dṛśyādṛṣṭiṃ vihāyānyā nāstitā na pratīyate || 1697 ||

The relation of ‘cause and effect’ is nothing other than that one thing is produced only when the other is there; nor is non-existence known to be any thing other than the ‘non-perception’ of what is perceptible.—(1697)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

In the case of ‘Ratiocination’, there is no difference between the Probam and the Probandum; because the reason (Probans) is the fact of one thing being produced only when the other is there,—the relation of Cause and Effect is the Probandum; and we find no difference between these two; the two are synonymous, like the terms ‘taru’ and ‘pādapa’ (both meaning Tree).

In the case of ‘Non-apprehension’ also, there is no difference between the Cause and the Effect. For instance, if mere absence of apprehension is meant (by ‘Non-apprehension’), then as nothing like it is known, it would be open to the Infinite Regress and other objections urged above. If, on the other hand, the ‘Non-apprehension’ of a thing is only the ‘apprehension of something else’, then it becomes included under ‘the Non-apprehension of what should have been apprehended’; and this does not prove the non-existence, which is cognised by Perception itself. It is for this reason that the text has declared—‘Nor is non-existence, etc. etc.’—(1697)