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EXAMINATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE PERMANENOE OF THINGS. 263
lotus', 'the sky-lotus ' ;- and yet they do not really exist; hence the definition that Efficiency is the characteristic feature of the entity' (as put forward by the Buddhist under Text 416) is found to be too wide.-(425)
The following Text supplies the answer to this:
TEXT (426).
THE CHARACTER IN QUESTION AS ATTRIBUTED TO THE SKY-LOTUS' IS ENTIRELY BASELESS; ITS IDEA IS THERE ONLY AS THE RESULT
OF ONE'S EAGERNESS FOR WRANGLING.—(426)
COMMENTARY
As a matter of fact, the capacity for fruitful activity is not admitted in the 'sky-lotus' and such things. The idea of it is merely an outcome of the opponent's imagination and is utterly baseless.-(426)
Question: "What is the Proof that annuls the idea of the said notion actually arising out of the sky-lotus' and such things ?"
Answer:
TEXT (427).
IT THE SAID IDEA HAD A NON-ENTITY FOR ITS CAUSE, THEN IT WOULD BE PRODUCED CONSTANTLY; AS THE NON-ENTITY CANNOT NEED ANYTHING ELSE, BEING ALWAYS DEVOID OT
DISTINCTIONS.-(427)
COMMENTARY.
The compound abhavaläranatvē' is to be expounded as the character of having a non-entity,- like the sky-lotus-for its cause'. If the idea had such a non-entity for its cause then the idea of the sky-lotus and such things would be produced constantly; because its causo would be always present in its perfect form. Nor can it be said to be dependent upon the help of other things, as by its very nature it is incapable of being helped by anything else; hence its activity towards producing its effect could not
