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BOOK II: THE PRINCIPLE OF KNOWLEDGE
279
from the water-mass.
This being so, the substance is itself an existent. And he who does not accept this must be considered to be para-samaya.
Now he explains that substance, although it consists in origination, annihilation and continuance, is an existent: .
II.7. The substance is an existent reality, resting in its innate nature; for every evolution of a substance in the world-of-objects is its innate nature, combined of stability, origination and destruction. (99)
The substance, namely, here is an existent, inasmuch as it eternally rests in its innate nature; and the innate nature of a substance consists in its evolution or oneness of stability, origination and annihilation.
(A) For as the volume (vastu) of a substance, although in its integrity, one, contains infinitesimal-spacial-constituents (pradeshas), which are its fine portions and are engaged in effecting its ordered extension (vishkambha): so the occurrence (urtti) of a substance, although in its integrity one, contains evolutions, which are its fine portions and are engaged in effecting its ordered process (pravaha).
(B And, as the order of the extension is conditioned by the mutual exclusion (vyatireka) of the infinitesimal-spacial-constituents: so the succession in the process is conditioned by the mutual exclusion of the evolutions.
O And, as these infinitesimal-spacial-constituents uphold themselves, having origination, annihilation and stability for self, because in their own spot (sthana) they arise and perish by way of their precedent and subsequent forms, and are exempt from origination and decay, inasmuch as everywhere one and the same volume is effected by their being mutually strung together: so these evolutions uphold themselves, having origination, annihilation and stability for self, because at their own point-of-time (avasara) they arise and perish by way of their precedent and subsequent forms, and are exempt from origination and decay, inasmuch as everywhere one and the same process is effected by their being mutually strung together.
(D) And, as the limitation-of-volume (vastu-simanta), which consists in the destruction of the precedent infinitesimal-spacial constituents, is the same as the volume-limitation which consists in the origination of the subsequent infinitesimal-spacial-constituents, and the same as the volume-limitation which consists in both together,