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like the sound of thunder- This is accepted as a correct inference. If so, our inference too is valid. If the general has been established it is possible to demonstrate the particular (not yet established) on the basis of that. The hetu would be asiddha in an inference of the type : Sound is non-eternal, because it is of the nature of sound – where sound (the subject) and sound (the hetu) are both general (1661).
(iv) Child's desire for breast-feeding must be preceded by another desire, because it is of the nature of experience, as our present desire is preceded by another .... or because it is of the nature of desire*, just like our present desire. Now this desire preceding the child's first desire for breast-feeding must be distinct from the body, for even when the previous body perishes, it persists and becomes the cause of the child's first desire for breast-feeding in the next life. Desire is an attribute (knowledge-attribute) and therefore requires a substratum. The persisting soul alone can be regarded as the substratum of this desire. The reason (hetu) “because it is of the nature of desire may perhaps be looked upon as 'inconclusive on the ground that the desire for emancipation is not preceded by a desire for emancipation and yet it is desire all the same and that this stultifies the universal rule that desire should be preceded by another desire. But note should be taken here of the fact that the universal rule does not insist that a particular desire should be preceded by a desire of the same type. What is meant is that it should be preceded by desire in general --- some desire, whether it be of the same type or another. Desire for emancipation, it will be admitted, is preceded by some sort of desire and if so the reason given above is not-inconclusive (avyabhicări) (1662)
(v) Child's body must be preceded by another body, because it is possessed of sense-organs, etc.. Whatever has sense-organs is seen to be preceded by another body, e. g. a youth's body is preceded by his body as a child. That which precedes a
*This second reason is suggested by the commentator.
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