1151 Verse 1661

Original

तत्प्रतिक्षेपमात्रात्मा स चेदत्र विवक्षितः ।
सर्वदा वस्तुताऽस्तित्वे गम्येतास्यानिवर्त्तनात् ॥ १६६१ ॥

tatpratikṣepamātrātmā sa cedatra vivakṣitaḥ |
sarvadā vastutā’stitve gamyetāsyānivarttanāt || 1661 ||

If what is meant by ‘non-modification’ is only the absence of modification,—then, as the entity concerned is eternal, this should be understood to be there at all times, as it never ceases.—(1661)

Kamalaśīla

The following might be urged—“Non-modification is not of the nature of ‘something contrary to modification’, it is only of the nature of the ‘absence of modification’; so that the definition cannot he impossible”.

The answer to this is as follows:—[see verse 1661 above]

‘Tatpratikṣepamātrātmā’—‘Tat’ is modification;—‘Pratikṣepa’ is denial, absence;—‘mātra’ is only;—that which has this absence of modification for its essence.

‘This’—i.e. the ‘non-modification’ in the form of ‘absence of modifications’—should be always of one and the same form; as there can be no modification of the Soul.—(1661)