Alamban Pariksha

Author(s): Dinnaga, Dharmapala, N Aiyaswami Shastri
Publisher: Adyar Library

Page 92

68
ĀLAMBANAPARIKSĀ And it may become object ; yet it does not act as its cause. For,
“consciousness does not arise from the aggregate."
Aggregate-consciousness bears a form (similar to) the aggregate. But it does not produce consciousness. How can this be the cause for it ? Since it has no characteristic of an object (alambanalaksana), it could not (be proved to) exist. As regards the nature of what has been previously spoken of, i.e., atom, it lacks the form felt in consciousness. What is, then, characterised as object ?
“Every object which necessarily produces the consciousness possessed of the image similar to itself (i.e., the object), is said to be its proper object”.
[28] In accordance with (the process of arising of] the object-consciousness, [we say that] what is a productive cause of consciousness, that is only its object. Somebody says : Every object necessarily is the cause of the mind and mental elements. This object having produced [consciousness) is spoken of as if it was really grasped [by its consciousness] and then it was always designated as its actual object. What object possesses the two-fold characteristic (i.e., causality and form) that becomes object. When there arises the fact of production, [the talk of it as] object (alambana) also arises. It is said in the scripture : When this fact arises, (or exists), this (other) fact also arises. This formula refers to the theory of dependent causation.