1842 Verse 2925

Original

अथाप्यक्षणिकं ज्ञानं नित्यं चाऽभ्युपगम्यते ।
अभ्युपेतविरोधोऽयमेवं युक्त्यावबाधनम् ॥ २९२५ ॥

athāpyakṣaṇikaṃ jñānaṃ nityaṃ cā’bhyupagamyate |
abhyupetavirodho’yamevaṃ yuktyāvabādhanam || 2925 ||

If the cognition is held to be not-momentary and even eternal, then this goes against what has been accepted elsewhere, and it is also nullified by reasoning.—(2925)

Kamalaśīla

In another context, Kumārila has declared the unity and eternality of Cognitions, as declared by him in the following words—“For us, Cognitions being of the same nature as the Spirit (Soul), are held to be eternal and one” [Ślokavārtika—Eternality of Words, 404].

Under this view, the Proposition put forward (that Cognitions are eternal) would go against what has been accepted elsewhere,—as also against Inference. For instance, it has been held that Cognitions are momentary; as said in the Bhāṣya (Śabara)—“It is momentary and does not remain till the time of the appearance of another Cognition” (Sū. 1. 1. 5, page 9, line 17); and it also goes against the words of Kumārila himself, to the effect that—“Cognition does not continue to exist for a single moment” (Ślokavārtika—Sense-perception 55).—(2925)