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Slokavārtika-a study
(5) vv. 245-47 : “When it is said that a cognition cannot be described except as bearing reference to an objec', the ideal is to emphasize that even the idealist does not hold that cognition as such is ever perceived. For according to the idealist what is perceived is not cognition as such but cognition as polluted by the touch of an object."
(6) vv. 248-59 : "When the idealist is told that in the absence of external objects it should be impossible to explain as to why one particular thing is produced by just one particular thing, e.g. why cloth is produced by threads, jar produced by clay, he will doubtless reply that he would seek to explain why one particular idea is produced by just on particular idea just as the realist seeks to explain why one particular thing is produced by just one particular thing. But the idealist's reply will lack cogency. For on the basis of observing concomitance in presence and concomitance in absence it can be decided as to what physical thing possesses the capacity to produce what physical thing. But nothing of the sort can be done in the case of ideas as posited by the idealist. For by the capacity' of an idea the idealist understands just an impression' but there is no knowing whether an impression' is different or non-different from an idea. What is still worse, án 'impression' is said to be of the form of 'practical reality' not 'ultimate reality.' And what is worst, there is conceivable no operation-e.g. the observation of concomitance in presence and concomitance ia absence-that might enable us to determine as to what cause leads to the emergence of what improssion'.”.
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