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356
TATTVASANGRAHA : CHAPTKK X.
extent, the Reason becomes 'inconclusive - This is what is shown in the following
TEXT (628).
THE SUBSISTENCE OF SOUNDS IN Akashit,--WHICH IS one, ALL-pervading AND eternal,-CANNOT BE PROVED (BY THE REASON ADDUCED), BECAUSE IT IS DEVOID OF POSITIVE CONCOMITANCE';AND ALSO BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE absence of succession AND SO FORTH; AS ALSO
universal contact.-(628)
COMMENTARY.
Na-Esam-goes with the preceding line.
That the Opponont's conclusion is contrary to Inference is shown in the Text by the words and also because, etc.; i.e. what has been said in the foregoing sentence to the effect that the subsistence of sounds is not proved, is so also because of the following reason :-If the Sounds were subsistent in the eternal, one substance, Ākasha,-then like the several Sounds produced at the same time, even Sounds produced at other times would be there at the same time in question, as their cause would be present there always in its perfect condition, and also because they would all be subsisting in the same substratum ;-and it has already been explained that what is eternal cannot be dependent upon anything else ; nor would it be right to regard that as 'subsistent which is of no use. So that the appearance of all Sounds would cease to be successive.
The phrase and so forth' includes the anomaly of all Sounds being heard by all persons. Because the Auditory Organ consists of Alusha, and Akasha is one only-all Sounds would reach the organ of all men and hence become heard ; and on account of the impartite nature of Alūsha, any such restriction would be impossible as that this is my own Auditory Organ and that is of another person's
The following argument might be urged :- When the tympanum of one has been affected by his Destiny, then that portion of the Alaska alone which is circumscribed by that tympanum forms the Auditory Organ of that person ; that is why Sound is not perceived through other openingssuch as the mouth, the nostrils and the like. And when that same Tympanun is hurt, there is deafness".
This cannot be right; because Akasha being impartite, any such partition of it would be impossible. Nor can imaginary component parts bring about, through mere imagination, any effective action which can be done only by real positive entities; merely imagining Water to be Fire does not make the former to burn or flare up.
It might be said that," what is meant by Akasha having a part is that contact with it is not pervasive".
This also has been already answered.
Then again, under the theory in question, the Jar, the 'Tympanum and all such things, as being in contact with one and the same Akasha, would come
