1986 Verse 3178-3179

Original

कर्तृकृत्रिमवाक्यानामुच्यते या त्वनादिता ।
अप्रमाणद्वयाधारा न सा प्रामाण्यसाधनी ॥ ३१७८ ॥
न शौद्धोदनिवाक्यानां पारतन्त्र्यात्प्रमाणता ।
अपश्यतः स्वयं धर्मं तथा शौद्धोदनेरपि ॥ ३१७९ ॥

kartṛkṛtrimavākyānāmucyate yā tvanāditā |
apramāṇadvayādhārā na sā prāmāṇyasādhanī || 3178 ||
na śauddhodanivākyānāṃ pāratantryātpramāṇatā |
apaśyataḥ svayaṃ dharmaṃ tathā śauddhodanerapi || 3179 ||

“The beginninglessness that is asserted in regard to the composer and the utterances emanating from him is itself based upon two invalid notions; hence it cannot prove the reliability of the said composer and his words.”—(3178)

“The words of Śauddhodani (Buddha) cannot be reliable, because they are dependent upon others; so also Buddha himself cannot be reliable because he has no direct knowledge of dharma.”—(3179)

Kamalaśīla

[verse 3178]:

Says the Opponent—The line of Buddhas has been without beginning; hence the doctrine propounded by them is also beginningless; so that on account of the beginninglessness of both these being exactly like that of the Veda and the Vedic Tradition,—they must be regarded as free from defects. The answer to this from the Mīmāṃsaka is as follows:—[see verse 3178 above]

The same idea is further explained:—[see verse 3179 above]

[verse 3179]:

Just as Buddha himself and his words are unreliable, so also are Kanaka, Kāśyapa, etc. and their words.—(3179)