2192 Verse 3599-3600

Original

नच तस्य विकल्पस्य सोऽर्थवत्तामवस्यति ।
तं हि वेत्ति निरालम्बं मायाकारसमो ह्यसौ ॥ ३५९९ ॥
मायाकारो यथा कश्चिन्निश्चिताश्वादिगोचरम् ।
चेतो निर्विषयं वेत्ति तेन भ्रान्तो न जायते ॥ ३६०० ॥

naca tasya vikalpasya so’rthavattāmavasyati |
taṃ hi vetti nirālambaṃ māyākārasamo hyasau || 3599 ||
māyākāro yathā kaścinniścitāśvādigocaram |
ceto nirviṣayaṃ vetti tena bhrānto na jāyate || 3600 ||

As a matter of fact, he does not recognise the conceptual content as beneficial (useful); he knows it to be baseless; he is like the magic-performer. The magic-performer knows that the idea that he has produced envisaging the real horse is really without an objective basis; and hence he himself does not become mistaken or misled by it.—(3599-3600)

Kamalaśīla

The following might be urged—“As a matter of fact, all Conceptual Content, by its nature, appears in the form of the conception of a thing as beneficial, when it is not beneficial,—and hence it is wrong, mistaken; consequently any appearance of it would be incompatible with the character of the man who has got rid of his obscurations”.

The answer to this is as follows;—[see verses 3599-3600 above]

If He had apprehended the Conceptual Content, which is devoid of objective basis, as having an objective basis, then alone He would be regarded as mistaken. As a matter of fact, however, He is like the magic-performer, and regards the Conceptual Content only in the form of the conception itself; how then can He be regarded as ‘mistaken’?—(3599-3600)