Verse 2923-2924

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

व्यापारः कारणानां हि दृष्टो जन्मातिरेकतः ।
प्रमाणेऽपि तथा माभूदिति जन्म विवक्ष्यते ॥ २९२३ ॥
नहि तत्क्षणमप्यास्ते जायते वाऽप्रमात्मकम् ।
येनार्थग्रहणे पश्चाद्व्याप्रियेतेन्द्रियादिवत् ॥ २९२४ ॥

vyāpāraḥ kāraṇānāṃ hi dṛṣṭo janmātirekataḥ |
pramāṇe'pi tathā mābhūditi janma vivakṣyate || 2923 ||
nahi tatkṣaṇamapyāste jāyate vā'pramātmakam |
yenārthagrahaṇe paścādvyāpriyetendriyādivat || 2924 ||

The operation of causes has always been found to be something different from the birth of the effects; in order to preclude this from the case of cognition (pramāṇa), the term ‘birth’ (‘janma’) has been introduced [by Jaimini in his sūtra 1.1.4]—the idea being that the cognition does not continue to exist for even a single moment, and yet it is not born as invalid; on account of which it could operate only later on towards the apprehending of the object,—in the manner of the sense-organs.—[Ślokavārtika—sense-perception, 54-55].—(2923-2924)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

In Sūtra 1. 1. 4, Jaimini has propounded the definition of Sense-perception as consisting in ‘the birth of the man’s apprehension following from the contact of the sense-organs with an existing object’; and the above four lines have been put forward by Kumārila in justification of the use of the term ‘janma’ (Birth) in this definition; the sense being that the term ‘birth’ has been used in order to point out that the Cognition is valid as soon as it is born.

Question:—“What is the reason for this?”

Answer:—‘The Cognition does not, etc. etc.’—‘Tat’ stands for the Cognition.—(2923-2924)

In the following Text, the Author anticipates and answers the rejoinder of the other party:—[see verse 2925 next]