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Verse 41
Fault in the doctrine of 'absolute momentariness' (kṣaṇikaekānta):
क्षणिकैकान्तपक्षेऽपि प्रेत्यभावाद्यसंभवः । प्रत्यभिज्ञाद्यभावान्न कार्यारम्भः कुतः फलम् ॥४१॥
सामान्यार्थ – (नित्यत्वैकान्त में दोष को जानकर ) यदि क्षणिकैकान्त (बौद्धों द्वारा प्रतिपादित अनित्यत्व - रूप एकान्त) का पक्ष लिया जाए तो उसमें भी प्रेत्यभावादिक संभव नहीं हैं। प्रत्यभिज्ञानादि जैसे ज्ञानों का अभाव होने से कार्य का आरम्भ संभव नहीं है और जब कार्य का आरम्भ ही नहीं तब उसका फल कैसे संभव हो सकता है?
(On the other hand -) When viewed from the point of view of ‘absolute momentariness' (hsanika- ekānta) then also it is impossible to explain phenomena like birth following death (pretyabhāva). [Since the soul, according to this view, is characterized by momentariness, therefore, memory (smrti) and recognition (pratyabhijñāna) etc. are not possible.] In the absence of the sources of knowledge, like recognition (pratyabhijñāna), the production of an effect (kārya) is not possible and consequently how can the fruit (phala) of that effect be imagined?
The Buddhists hold the self to be merely a succession of moments of awareness; and not like a single thread running through a collection of pearl drops, one permeating them all. On their view the moment of cognition whereby the carrying out of good or carrying out of evil has been effected, has not, because it perishes without residue, the enjoyment of the fruit thereof; and that which has the enjoyment of the fruit was not
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