Verse 3478-3479

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

कर्तृकृत्रिमवाक्यानामुच्यते न त्वनादिता ।
प्रामाण्यसिद्धये यस्मात्साऽप्रमाणेऽपि वर्त्तते ॥ ३४७८ ॥
तथाहि नास्तिकादीनां तथा तद्वचसामपि ।
वेदानां च प्रवक्तॄणां नानादित्वेऽपि मानता ॥ ३४७९ ॥

kartṛkṛtrimavākyānāmucyate na tvanāditā |
prāmāṇyasiddhaye yasmātsā'pramāṇe'pi varttate || 3478 ||
tathāhi nāstikādīnāṃ tathā tadvacasāmapi |
vedānāṃ ca pravaktṝṇāṃ nānāditve'pi mānatā || 3479 ||

Beginninglessness is not asserted in regard to the composer or to the utterances emanating from him,—for the purpose of proving their validity; because beginninglessness belongs to the invalid (wrong) cognition also; for instance, the unbelievers and their words,—as also the Vedas and their expounders,—are not valid and reliable, even though they may be beginningless.—(3478-3479)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

It has been argued, under Text 3178, that—“the beginninglessness that is asserted in regard to the composer and the utterances emanating from him is itself based upon two invalid notions, etc. etc.”.

The answer to this is as follows:—[see verses 3478-3479 above]

When we assert Beginninglessness, it is not as a reason for reliability;.because such a reason, as present in the absence of the Probandum also, would be ‘Inconclusive’, Hence, the objection that you have urged has been urged by imputing to us a view that is not held by us.—(3478-3479)