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And when the cognition of the logical reason - e.g. smokeis erroneous, the inference based on that logical reason will be invalid itself. The inference from mist, taken as smoke, of a reproduction or imitation of fire, is surely unsound. For, a veil of mist, which is an imitation of smoke and is recognized as such, does not legitimize the inference of a heap of red roses, viz., something that reproduces fire.
The Theory of Imitation is Vain
It may be argued that eventhough the actor is not angry himself, yet he seems angry. True, he resembles a man who is angry. This is resemblance and it is due to a contraction of eye-brows etc., and is like the resemblance between a real ox and another ox-like creature due to the shape of the muzzles etc. In this case, there is no imitation involved. Again, the spectators are not aware of this resemblance. (They are unaware of any resemblance between the actor and the original character, but are aware only of the fact that the actor is in a certain state of consciousness which is also shared by them). The spectators' perception of the actor is with his mental state. Therefore, the theory of imitation or reproduction is after all a vain theory.
To say that the audience has the perception "That is Rāma", is not correct. For, if this perception, divested of every doubt during the play is not stultified later on by some subsequent cognition which invalidates it, why is it not a true cognition? And, if it is stultified, why is it not a false cognition? In fact, even when no invalidating cognition appears, it will be always a type of false cognition. (According to Sankuka, the aesthetic experience consists of an imitation; thus he implicitly admits that it is unreal.) Thus Sankuka's contention that this is an experience in which, since it is devoid of any contradictory idea, one cannot distinguish any error, is untrue. Again, the same perception, 'This is Rama', is had in other actors also and hence of Rama, we have only his universal aspect. To say that the Vibhavas can be
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