Verse 1897

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

तस्मात्तत्रादिविज्ञानं स्वोपादानबलोद्भवम् ।
विज्ञानत्वादिहेतुभ्य इदानीन्तनचित्तवत् ॥ १८९७ ॥

tasmāttatrādivijñānaṃ svopādānabalodbhavam |
vijñānatvādihetubhya idānīntanacittavat || 1897 ||

Thus then the first cognition must be regarded as arising out of its own material cause,—because it is cognition and so forth,—like the cognition of the present moment.—(1897)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

The following Text formulates the argument in support of the beginning-lessness (of cognition):—[see verse 1897 above]

The argument may be formulated as follows:—That entity which partakes of the nature of the Four Phases of Cognition, Feeling, Name-Conception, and Mental Faculty, must be regarded as proceeding from its own Material Cause;—because it is Cognition, Feeling, etc. etc.—just like the same Four Phases during youth and old age;—the First Cognition is of the nature of Cognition:—hence this is a Reason based upon the nature of the thing.

In the term ‘First Cognition’, the mention of Cognition is only by way of illustration; what is asserted should be -understood to be true of Feeling and the other Phases also.—(1897)

The following Text puts forward an argument against the contrary of the above conclusion:—[see verse 1898 next]