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INTRODUCTION
căra system which totally rejected the objective entity of the visible world1 and thus went one pace ahead to the view-point expressed by the Sautrāntika doctor. The Sautrāntikas had pointed out that 'there is neither any visual sense-organ that sees, nor does there exist any matter (rūpa) that is seen. Similarly, the action and the agent of seeing also do not exist. It is only the cause and the effect that exist2.' This view-point of the Sautrāntika was further analysed by the Yogacara philosopher who concluded that 'it is not the eye that perceives; it is the knowledge of the eye that sees3.' The appearance in the form of the external objects is not real, but it is projected by unmanifest, latent mental impressions1.
Asanga did not accept the Sauträantika criticism of the objective existence of the world totidem verbis but regarded it a half-hearted critical review of the actual position and suggested the total negation of the worldly
3.
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1. Vasubandhu's Vimśikā, vs. 1, 2; fasfan1a4ŝazuzafamızaTĄ Į (vs. 1 a-b).
2. Vide, AKB, I.42 for different Abhidharmika view-points; also, AK (Hindi 'trans.), I, pp. 65-8.
न चक्षुः प्रेक्षते रूपं मनो धर्मान्न वेत्ति च । एतत्तु परमं सत्यं लोकस्य विषयो न यत् ॥ चक्षुर्नास्ति न रूपञ्च दृश्यं नास्ति न मनस्क्रिया । चित्तं स्वप्नसमं भ्रान्तिः
. . . . . . ||
(bhavasainkranti parikathā, 15-16). cp.; VCPP-Comm., Vs. 49: नोपलम्भेऽपि धर्माणां चक्षुर्हि न विद्यते ।......; see also Vs. 50-1.
4. Ls. बाह्यो न विद्यते ह्यर्थो यथाबालैर्विकल्प्यते । X.154, c-d, वासनैर्लुटितं चित्तमर्थाभासः प्रवर्तते ।, X. 155, a-b.
