Verse 2775

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

प्रत्यक्षेणानुमानेन विशुद्धे विषये सति ।
नह्येवं वैदिके शब्दे स स्वयम्प्रत्ययो यतः ॥ २७७५ ॥

pratyakṣeṇānumānena viśuddhe viṣaye sati |
nahyevaṃ vaidike śabde sa svayampratyayo yataḥ || 2775 ||

[We have confidence in the scripture]—The assertions whereof are found to be confirmed by perception and inference.—That cannot be the case with the Veda; as this has been held to be self-sufficient in its authority.—(2775)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

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 above]

When the matter spoken of in the Scripture is not found to be incompatible with facts ascertained by Perception and Inference,—and one acts in accordance with this,—then alone does he act wisely,—even though the matter be in doubt;—not when he acts otherwise; because doubts regarding its being wrong and undesirable are aroused only by its being found to be contrary to well-ascertained facts of Perception (and Inference).

“If that is so, then in the case of the Veda, people would be acting in the same way.”

Answer:—‘That cannot, etc.’

‘As this has been held to be self-sufficient, etc. etc.’—that is, it is regarded as an authority by itself; hence in this case it cannot be right to act after having examined the teachings by proofs and reasonings; as in that case, the authority or reliability of the Veda would be due to something exterior to itself.

Nor is it possible for the teachings of the Veda to be confirmed. Because in the Veda we read of the man, in due course, being the actor and the experiencer,—his own preceding and succeeding forms being imperishable and unborn;—and this cannot be right; as has been explained under the chapter dealing with the ‘Soul—Then again, we read there of the eternality of certain entities; and that this also is wrong has been explained under the chapter dealing with the ‘Permanence of Things’.—Thirdly, the followers of the Veda have held that there exist such things as the ‘Universal’ and the like, which, though really imperceptible, are declared to be perceptible; and similarly the successive Birth, Existence and Cessation of things have also been spoken of; all of which are absolute impossibilities.—Similarly, it has been taught that the Agent in whom no fresh attributes can be added, and who had not produced a single thing before, becomes the producer of something else; and. similarly it has been taught that an established entity, though not produced as an effect, continues to exist, on the strength of something else;—and also the destruction of things by certain causes; and so on and so forth;—much is found that is quite contrary to all Forms of Right Cognition.—How then could any intelligent person undertake any activity on the authority of such a Scripture (as the Veda)?—(2775)