________________
172
TATTVASANGRAHA: CHAPTER VII.
TEXTS (214-945).
** OR, THE CLEAN MIRROR, OR THE ROCK-CRYSTAL, REFLECTS THE IMAGE OF ONLY WHAT IS PLACED BEFORE IT IN THE SAME MANNER, SOULS, THOUGH POSSESSED OF ETERNAL SENTIENCE, APPREHEND COLOUR AND OTHER THINGS ONLY WHEN THEY ARE THEMSELVES IN THE BODY AND THE THINGS ARE PRESENTED TO THEM BY THE ORGANS. AND IT IS THIS SENTIENCE THAT WE CALL
INTELLIGENCE'."
(244-245)
COMMENTARY.
The epithet clean' has been added because the dirty mirror is not capable of reflecting images.—' Placed before it', -carried to it.-In the same manner; this introduces what has to be illustrated. Though, in reality, the Souls are all-pervading, yet, it is only when, under the influence of the Unseen Force (of destiny), they subsist in the Body, that they apprehend things that are presented to them by the Eye and other organs.--not while they are away from the Body.-Tliis eternal Sentience is what we call Buddhi' (Intelligence), and it is not different from it, like the Buddhi' (Cosmic Intellect) of the Sarikhyas.-244-245)
Question-If that is so, how is it that this Cognition is known as evanescent ?
In answer to this, the next Text proceeds to show the reason, already indicated before, why Cognition is regarded as evanescent, and thereby explains that evanescence:
TEXT (246)
“IT IS ON ACCOUNT OF THE EVANESCENT CHARACTER OF THE FUNCTIONING OF THE PRESENTING ORGANS THAT THE COGNITION IS EVANESCENT; JUST AS, EVEN THOUGH FIRE IS ALWAYS A BURNER, IT BURNS ONLY WHEN THE COMBUSTIBLE
THING IS CLOSE TO IT."-(246)
COMMENTARY.
Presenting orjans', -the Eye and other organs which present to the Soul the Colour and other things the functioning -operation-of those organs is evanescent-fleeting :--and on this account, the resultant Cognition is recognised us evanescent; by itsell, it is not ovenescent, fleeting.--" If, by itself the Cognition is not evanescent, then the objection remains that
