0641 Verse 885

Original

बुद्ध्याकारश्च बुद्धिस्थो नार्थबुद्ध्यन्तरानुगः ।
नाभिप्रेतार्थकारी च सोऽपि वाच्यो न तत्त्वतः ॥ ८८५ ॥

buddhyākāraśca buddhistho nārthabuddhyantarānugaḥ |
nābhipretārthakārī ca so’pi vācyo na tattvataḥ || 885 ||

As regards the ‘form of cognition’, it rests in the cognition itself, and does not follow either the object or another cognition; hence that also cannot serve the purpose (of the other party); as that also cannot really be denoted (by words).—(885)

Kamalaśīla

As regards the ‘Form of Cognition’, it is of the same essence as the Cognition itself, and as such rests therein; as such, like the Cognition itself, it does not follow either the Object cognised or another Cognition; consequently, as it cannot be present at the time of the Convention and Usage, no Convention can be made relating to it, just as there can be none relating to Specific Individuality. Even if it were present at the time of the Usage, it is not possible that users should make any Convention in regard to it. As a matter of fact, when a man desires to do something on the basis of certain words, he has got to know the words likely to be useful for that purpose, and then make use of them; and it is under this impression that people make use of expressive words; and not through a mere whim. The form of the Cognition, which is rooted in Fancy, cannot be able to accomplish any such desired purpose as the alleviation of cold and the like; because, in actual experience, it is found that mere apprehension does not accomplish any such purpose. Thus then, as there can be no Convention bearing upon this also, our Reason—‘because no Convention can be made regarding it’—cannot be stigmatised as ‘Unproven—(885)