Verse 3194-3195

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

सर्वशिष्यैरपि ज्ञातानर्थान्संवादयन्नपि ।
न सर्वज्ञो भवेदन्यलोकज्ञातार्थवर्जनात् ॥ ३१९४ ॥
नच सर्वनरज्ञातज्ञेयसंवादसम्भवः ।
कालत्रयत्रिलोकस्थैर्नरैर्न च समागमः ॥ ३१९५ ॥

sarvaśiṣyairapi jñātānarthānsaṃvādayannapi |
na sarvajño bhavedanyalokajñātārthavarjanāt || 3194 ||
naca sarvanarajñātajñeyasaṃvādasambhavaḥ |
kālatrayatrilokasthairnarairna ca samāgamaḥ || 3195 ||

“Even if a person were to comprehend the things known to all his disciples, he would not be ‘omniscient’; as he would be devoid of the comprehension of the things known to people other than those disciples.—Nor is it possible to comprehend all the things cognised by all men; as there can be no coming together of men of the past, present and future, inhabiting all the three regions of the world.”—(3194-3195)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

The following view might be put forward:—Without any effort the Omniscient Person makes his omniscience known to his disciples by attracting their minds through His unfailing knowledge of their character and the workings of their mind.

The answer to this is as follows:—[see verses 3194-3195 above]

Even if the man who knew only those things that were known to the people contemporaneous with, and in close proximity to, himself,—he could not be ‘omniscient’; as he would have no knowledge of things known to persons other than those, who may be contemporaneous with him, but not in close proximity to him. By knowing only a part, one does not know the whole; if he did, there would be an absurdity.

As a matter of fact, it is not possible to comprehend even all those things that may be known to all his contemporaries who may be in close proximity to him. Because there can be no comprehension of what is far off and what is known to people having no connection with him.

The following might be urged—It may be that all men approach the Tathāgata simultaneously,—and whatever questions they put, He answers them all,—so that the people do come to know what is known to that Omniscient Person,

The answer to this is that—‘there can be no coming together, etc. etc.’— nowhere is it possible to bring together men of the past, present and future,—or those inhabiting the regions of Heaven, the Nether World and the World of Mortal Beings.

Or, the three ‘regions’ may be taken as standing for the ‘Imaginary’, ‘Objective’ and ‘Subjective’ Regions.—(3194-3195)