1142 Verse 1648

Original

प्रमाणपञ्चकं यत्र वस्तुरूपे न जायते ।
वस्तुसत्तावबोधार्थं तत्राभावप्रमाणता ॥ १६४८ ॥

pramāṇapañcakaṃ yatra vasturūpe na jāyate |
vastusattāvabodhārthaṃ tatrābhāvapramāṇatā || 1648 ||

“In the case of an object where the five means of cognition do not function for the comprehension of the existence of that object,—negation is the only means of cognition,”—Kumārila: Ślokavārtika-negation, 1].—(1648)

Kamalaśīla

In regard to ‘Negation’—Abhāva—the Author sets forth the following views:—[see verse 1648 above]

According to Mīmāṃsakas, entities are of two kinds—Positive and Negative,—the former being characterised by existence and the latter by non-existence;—and they hold that every object has two aspects—the existent and the non-existent; thus it being acknowledged that the Object has these two aspects,—the existent and the non-existent,—in the case of an object—Le. the non-existent aspect of the object,—the five Means of Cognition, ending with ‘Presumption’, do not function,—for what?—for the comprehension of the existence of that object,—d.e. for apprehending the existent aspect of the object,—in the case of such cognisable object, in the shape of its non-existent aspect,—‘Negation’ is the only Means of Cognition.

This shows only the object cognisable by this Means of Cognition, not the form of the Cognition itself.—(1648)

Question:—What then is the form of this Cognition?

Answer:—[see verse 1649 next]