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1.18-19]
Distinctions Regarding the Avagraha
The reason for referring to avagraha separately from vyajñanavagraha and denoting it as arthavagraha is that the realization of the subject arising from that knowledge can come into the awareness of the knower. After arthavagraha, the general understanding of the subject known, specific curiosity about it, particular decisions regarding it, the flow of those decisions, resulting conditioning, and memory generated from that conditioning—these aspects of knowledge operation, iha, avaya, and dharana have been elaborated earlier in three divisions. It should not be forgotten that the requirement for the conjunction of the sense organs and the subject referred to in this mandakram is only until the final part of vyajñanavagraha, namely, arthavagraha. Beyond this, in iha, avaya, etc., that conjunction of knowledge operations is not necessarily required, as the inclination of that knowledge operation is towards the specific, leading to predominance of mental focus at that time. For this reason, it has been explained in the interpretation of the presented sutra that 'vyajñanasyavagraha eva' means that the avagraha of vyajñana alone exists, that is, the consideration of vyajñana extends only to avagraha (unexpressed knowledge) and not to iha, etc. In patukrama, there is no consideration of the conjunction of the sense organs and subject. Even at a considerable distance, the sense organ can grasp the subject merely by suitable proximity, and upon grasping, general knowledge in the form of arthavagraha arises immediately through that sense organ. Subsequently, the knowledge operations iha, avaya, etc., commence progressively in the same way as in the aforementioned mandakram. In summary, in patukrama, the manifestation of the stream of knowledge occurs without the conjunction of the sense organ with the graspable subject, of which the first part is arthavagraha and the ultimate part is the memory-like dharana. Conversely, in mandakram, the stream of knowledge emerges only upon the conjunction of the sense organ with the graspable subject, of which the first part is the most unexpressed knowledge, known as vyajñanavagraha, the second part is arthavagraha knowledge, and the ultimate part is dharana knowledge in the form of memory.
Example—To clearly understand the stream of knowledge in mandakram, which requires the conjunction of sense organs and the subject, an example of a pot is useful. Just as if one were to pour water into an extremely dry pot taken out of a kiln, the pot immediately absorbs it to the extent that not a trace remains. Similarly, it absorbs successive droplets of water that are added one by one. Eventually, a time comes when it can no longer absorb the droplets and becomes wet; the water particles that were added then start to appear collectively. The dampness of the pot is felt initially, but prior to that, there was water in it, absorbed in such a way that it completely disappeared.