Verse 2774

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

ननु पर्यनुयोगोऽयं कृतकेप्यागमे समः ।
न तत्र श्रद्ध्या वृत्तेरर्थसंशयतोऽपि वा ॥ २७७४ ॥

nanu paryanuyogo'yaṃ kṛtakepyāgame samaḥ |
na tatra śraddhyā vṛtterarthasaṃśayato'pi vā || 2774 ||

“This objection is equally applicable to the scriptures composed (by persons).”—(2774a)

Not so; because to these (scriptures) people have recourse through faith and confidence, even in regard to things that are open to doubt.—(2774b)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

[verse 2774a]:

The objection that has been urged is applicable also to those scriptures that have been composed (by Persons). For instance, the question can reasonably be raised—whether the ideas that modern people derive from the words of Buddha and others dealing with supersensuous things are in accordance with the intentions of those Persons,—or the reverse.—(2774)

The answer to the above is as follows:—[see verse 2774b above]

[verse 2774b]:

‘Tatra’—to the Scripture propounded by a Personality, which deals with matters useful to men. That is, the wise followers of Buddha have recourse to their scriptures in full accordance with Reason,—and not by mere hearsay.

‘Faith and confidence’.—The confidence born of well-ascertained notions obtained by means of the due pondering over reasons; as it is in things thus ascertained through proofs that people have confidence,—not in anything else; as in regard to other things, doubts never cease.

‘Things that are open to doubt.’—In the case of assertions of Personalities, as the Person expresses what he means, there is a possibility of such ideas having come down through an unbroken line of men who have heard it from their predecessors; so -that it is possible that there is an unbroken line of Tradition from the author down to the present day; and hence the ideas expressed are true. Such ground for confidence is not available in the case of the Scripture that has not proceeded from a Personality; as there is no Person who actually taught it.—Further, if there were a Teacher, then, as such a Teacher would be led to propound the Teachings for the benefit of men, it stands to reason that he would propound through words well-known among men; so that the meanings of those words could be rightly learnt from such use by the Teacher. This is not possible in the case of the Scripture that is not the work of a Person; as there can be no intention or effort in that case.—(2774b)

Question:—“If this is so;then why do you not act in accordance with any Scripture (from among those propounded by human beings)? Mere doubtfulness would be equally present in the case of all”.

The answer to this objection is as follows:—[see verse 2775 next]