0187 Verse 228

Original

पुमानेवंविधश्चायं प्रत्यभिज्ञानभावतः ।
प्रमीयते प्रबाधा च नैरात्म्यस्यामुनैव हि ॥ २२८ ॥

pumānevaṃvidhaścāyaṃ pratyabhijñānabhāvataḥ |
pramīyate prabādhā ca nairātmyasyāmunaiva hi || 228 ||

“The spirit (or soul) as described is proved by the presence of recognition; and the doctrine of ‘no-soul’ is disproved by this same (recognition).”—(228)

Kamalaśīla

Question—What is the Proof (Means of Cognition) that establishes the existence of the Soul?

The answer is supplied by the following Text:—[see verse 228 above]

By the presence of Recognition,—involved in such notions as ‘I cognised it’, ‘I am cognising it’ and so forth, where there is ‘recognition’ of the same ‘doer’ (cogniser)—is proved—the existence of the Soul.—By this same—Recognition—also is disproved the doctrine of ‘No Soul’, as propounded by the Buddhist and others; as has been thus declared—‘Thus from this fact Recognition which is admitted by all men, follows the refutation of the doctrine of No-Soul’—(Ślokavārtika, Ātmavāda, 136).—(228)