________________
(45)
Dignāga's Criticism of the Mimāṁsaka Theory (M. Hattori)
15)
cordingly, it is inadmissible to say that the soul operates merely upon 'existence and never upon ‘non-existence'. However, we are ready to reply to this Mimāṁsaka objection.) When a mirage and the like, which really do not exist, are cognized through the apparent perception, nothing, in fact, is in contact with ‘non-existence'. Nevertheless the apparent perception is produced through the following process: - A certain spot (in the desert) is, at a certain time, in a peculiar condition owing to the heat of the sun. When eyes are in contact with this spot, what is seen is) indescribable (in itself, but) the illusory mind, which functions of its own accord, constructs gradually (the determinate knowledge that the object seen is the water, despite that there is no real water. It thus is the mind that produces an apparent perception. Such being the case, there is no contact of the visual sense with ‘non-existence' even in the case of seeing a mirage.) Consequently, we can hardly approve of the Mimāṁsaka interpretation that the term 'existence in the sūtra is meant for) excluding ‘non-existence'. (K, 1061.6 - 107a.1; V, 25a.5 - 25b.1 (25b.2-6)]
Leaving out Dignāga's further arguments against the Mimāṁsaka interpretation of 'sať, we proceed to trace his critique of the concept of 'contact.
(C) (Now the meaning of the term 'contacť (samprayoga) in the sūtra will be examined.)
If (the term 'contact implies that the sensés come into) direct contact with their respective objects in all cases, then it is improper to employ
15)
16)
J, 76b. 2 (86a. 5-6): bstan par bya ba ma yin pa şes pas ran gi mtshan ñid ni bstan par bya ba ma yin pa ñid kyi phyir ro /
J, 76b. 2-3 (86a. 6-7): rim gyis şes pa snar dban pohi ses pa ste / de nas ḥdra ba ñid du nes par byed paḥi yid rnam par rtog paḥoll de nas chu la sogs pa dan hdra baḥi dños po dran paḥo // deņi bar ma chad par de kho na ḥdiḥo șes paḥi ḥkhrul pa yid kyi rnam par ses pa spyi la dmigs par hgyur ro / cf. PSV, I, ad Nyāya Section k. la-b: mano-bhránti-vişayatvät, see my paper, Fragments of Pramānasamuccaya, JIBS, Vol. VII, No. 1, Frag. 2.
(Bd-a): K, 107a. 1-5; V, 25b. 1-3 (25b. 6-26a. 1). (Bd-b): K, 1072. 5-8; V, 25b. 3-5 (26a. 1-4) have been omitted.
17)
- 719
