1604 Verse 2501

Original

शब्दबोधस्वभावं वा जनितं नाम तैरिदम् ।
ज्ञानं शब्दनिराशंसैः संस्कृतश्रवणादिभिः ॥ २५०१ ॥

śabdabodhasvabhāvaṃ vā janitaṃ nāma tairidam |
jñānaṃ śabdanirāśaṃsaiḥ saṃskṛtaśravaṇādibhiḥ || 2501 ||

It may be taken (for granted) that the cognition of the nature of the cognition of word-sound may be taken as produced by the embellished auditory organ, etc., spoken of before,—independently of the word-sound itself.—(2501)

Kamalaśīla

Says the Opponent:—“The cause of the Cognition itself would serve to restrict its scope, and there would be no such absurd contingencies as have been indicated. Because it is the cognition of the Word-Sound—and not that of Taste, etc.—which is actually found to come about from the causal factors appearing immediately after the embellishment of the Auditory Organ,—because the efficiency of the causal factors is so restricted.—Even if the Word-Sound were necessarily regarded as the cause (of its own cognition), some restriction on the efficiency of the cause will have to be admitted; because, if the question is raised—‘when all things are equally the cause of the Cognition, then, why is it that the cognition of sound that is produced is of the nature of the apprehension of sound only, not of the apprehension of the Auditory organ?’—the only answer possible would be that the efficiency of the Causal factors is restricted in this manner”.

Having reviewed all this, the Author answers the charge of ‘Inconclusiveness’ against his reason:—[see verse 2501 above]

‘Nāma’—‘may be taken’—this means that it may be taken for granted (for the sake of argument).—That this view is not tenable is going to be shown later on, under Text 2507.

‘By the embellished Auditory Organ, etc.’—The ‘etc.’ includes the immediately following causal factors.—(2501)