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(B) MIMÄMSÄ DOCTRINE OF THE SELF
171
TEXT (242).
" COGNITIONS, AND THE SOUL ALSO, ARE HELD TO BE eternal and one, ON THE GROUND OF THEIR BEING OF THE NATURE OF INTELLIGENCE'; IF THERE IS DIVERSITY, IT IS DUE TO THE OBJECT." -(242) (This is a quotation from Shloisavārtika, Chapter
on Eternality of Somd, 401].
COMMENTARY.
Cognitions and the Soul also are regarded as eternal and one ;-whybecause they are of the nature of Intelligence ; that is, because, under our view Spirit is of the nature of Intelligence in the form of Cognitions.
Question-How then is it that such diversity in Cognitions) is recog. nised as Colour-Cognition', Taste-Cognition and so forth ?
Answer—" If there is diversity, it is due to the object; the term "it' has been used as admitting (for the sake of argument) the opinion of the other party; the sense being-'If-in case-diversity be assumed"-(242)
Objection (to Kumārila's position)-If Cognition is eternal and one, then, how is it that it appreliends Colour and other things consecutively? It should apprehend all at once, there being no distinction to which the successiveness would be due).
The answer to this (from Kumärila's point of view) is given in the following Text:
TEXT (243).
* THOUGH, BY ITS VERY NATURE, FIRE IS ALWAYS OF THE NATURE OF A burner, IT BURNS ONLY WHAT IS PRESENTED TO IT, AND THAT ALSO ONLY A THING THAT IS CAPABLE OF BEING BUBNT, -NOT ANY OTHER THING, NOR AT ANY OTHER
TIME."—(243)
COMMENTARY
Fire is eternally of the nature of a Burner, and yet it does not burn all things at all times. It burns only what is brought to it and then also, it burns only a thing that is capable of being burnt, -and not the Sky or any such thing. --(243)
In the following Text, he cites another example:
