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(A) NYÄYA DOCTRINE OF THE SELF'.
153
TEXT (206). (THE USE OF] TERMS BEING BASED ENTIRELY ON CONVENTION-WHAT IS THERE TO WHICH THEY CANNOT BE APPLIED IN THE CASE OF TERMS LIKE SOUL' ALSO, THERE IS NOTHING IN THEIR VERY NATURE WHICH IS EXPRESSIVE OF
ANYTHING.-(206)
COMMENTARY Convention proceeds from the independent desire of men (to give a certain name to a certain thing); and Terms also are expressive of that alone; wherefore then could there be any restriction of their use?
If the meaning of the Opponent's Reason be that "because it is an unconventional single term", and by that means its Inclusiveness be sought to be avoided, then the answer is-In the case of terms like Soul', etc. that is, apart from Convention, terms, by their nature, are not expressive of anything; for, if it were so, then eveu unlearned persons (not conversant with Convention) could understand the meaning of words; there wonld also be no independent instruction as to the meaning of words; also because all Convention would, in that case, be seless. From all this it follows that such terms as Soul' and the like, by their nature, are not expressive of anything; so that the Reason put forward is unpruven', Inadmissible'
If (in order to avoid these difficulties) it be sought to add a further qualification-to the effect that it has for its objective a cognisable thing which is included under a category which cannot be specified', -as las beou itsserted by Bhāvipēka,-even so, inasmuch as such a qualification would be
unproven!, the Reason itself would be Inadmissible',-as also In. conclusive, on account of the absence of the necessary invariable concomitance.-(206)
It has been argued above (under Text 184) that "The living body would be devoid of Breathing, etc., if there were no Soul" -The answer to that is provided in the following Text :
TEXTS (207-208). THE CONTINGENCY THAT HAS BEEN URGED WOULD BE RIGHT IF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE FUNCTIONS OF BREATHING, ETC. AND THE
SOUL WERE WELL-ESTABLISHED ; OTHERWISE, IT WOULD BE ABSURD. FOR INSTANCE, THE ABSENCE OF THE SON OF THE BARREN WOMAN' CANNOT MAKE THE LIVING BODY DEVOID OF BREATHING, ETC. AND YOUR URGING OF THE CONTINGENCY IN QUESTION IS OF THE
SAME KIND.—(207-208)
COMMENTARY If between Breathing, etc. and the Soul, there were some connection, as that of beiny produced from it, or being of the same nature,-known as
