Verse 3646

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

निराकारादिचिन्ता तु सर्वज्ञे नोपयुज्यते ।
यथाहि भवतां ज्ञानं क्वचिदर्थे तथा परम् ॥ ३६४६ ॥
इत्यतीन्द्रियदर्शिपुरुषपरीक्षा ।
शान्तरक्षितविरचिस्तत्वसङ्ग्रहः समाप्तः ॥

nirākārādicintā tu sarvajñe nopayujyate |
yathāhi bhavatāṃ jñānaṃ kvacidarthe tathā param || 3646 ||
ityatīndriyadarśipuruṣaparīkṣā |
śāntarakṣitaviracistatvasaṅgrahaḥ samāptaḥ ||

Any discussion regarding formlessness and the rest is of no use in regard to the omniscient person. In fact, just as your cognition appears in regard to a certain object, so does the other (superior) cognition also.—(3646)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

Says the Opponent—“It has been asserted (by Buddhists) that—‘Cognition never apprehends the external object,—either as manifested or as unmanifested or as envisaging something else’. But how can both views be free from objections?”

The answer to this is as follows:—[see verse 3646 above]

End of Chapter.

Thus ends the Tattvasaṅgraha by Śāntarakṣita.

The discussion that we carried on earlier, regarding the Cognition being formless, etc. etc., from the Idealistic point of view,—can serve no useful purpose on the present occasion, as against you Mīmāṃsakas who are wedded to the External World, when we are proving the existence of the Omniscient Person on the understanding (for the sake of argument) that the external world exists.

Question:—“Why?”

Answer:—‘In fact, etc. etc.’—You must assert that there is Cognition of the External object,—whether the Cognition be formless or with form; as otherwise the whole external world would disappear. So that, just as there comes about your Cognition of a certain thing,—in the same manner would come about also the other—and the superior—Cognition of the Omniscient Person (which is to be construed heie).—So that the objection that has been urged has no force at all and should not have been urged.—(3646)

This excellent and extensive, pure and lasting, (Teaching) that has been secured by me,—may it become the abode of the magnificence of the unrivalled Jina; and with its effulgence, may it delight the hearts of all men!—May thereby the whole of mankind become like the Buddhist Kamalaśīla (or, may all men attain the character of the Lotus as blooming under the rays of the sun of the Great Teaching)!

End of the Commentary by

Kamalaśīla.

END.