Verse 2521

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

कस्मादाप्तं न काष्ठादि सा समाकर्षति प्रभा ।
तच्छक्तिनियतत्वाच्चेदप्राप्तावपि तत्समम् ॥ २५२१ ॥

kasmādāptaṃ na kāṣṭhādi sā samākarṣati prabhā |
tacchaktiniyatatvāccedaprāptāvapi tatsamam || 2521 ||

Why is it that the said light does hot attract pieces of wood and other things which come into contact with it?—If it is said that “it does not do so because its capacity is restricted”,—then the same may be said regarding the case of ‘non-contact’ also.—(2521)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

As regards the Reductio ad Absurdum put forward by the assertion that “there would be attraction of all the Iron-pieces in the world”,—the answer to that is as follows:—[see verse 2521 above]

The same contingency is equally possible under the view that there is actual contact:—Why is it that the Light emanating from the Magnet does nob attract all those things,, wood-pieces and the like, that happen to be in contact with it?

If the answer is that—“The said contingency does not arise as the capacity of things is restricted”,—then the same may be said under the view that there is no contact in such cases; who has deprived things of their capacity,—by virtue of which the same is not admitted in this case?

Hence it follows that the assumption of the invisible rays of Light is futile.—(2521)