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EXAMINATION OF SÄMĀNYA', THE UNIVERSAL
413
TEXTS (736-737). THE NBGATION OF ACTION, QUALITY AND NAME IS ALSO DOSORTBED (BY YOU) AS THE CAUSE OF THE NOTION OF NON-EXISTENCE'; HENCE THE QUALIFICATION SERVES NO USEFUL PURPOSE. THE SAID DESCRIPTION OF THE CAUSE OF THI NOTION OF NON-EXISTENCE) ALSO IS NOT RIGHT; BECAUSE IT IT IS A CAUSE, THEN IT MUST BE A POSITIVE ENTITY, AS POSSESSING A DEFINITE PO TENCY. LASTLY, THE NOTION OF NON-EXISTENCE' WOULD BE AP
PLICABLE TO BEING' AND SUCH UNIVERSALS ALSO.
-1736-737)
COMMENTARY. Of the notion of non-existence also, the 'Negation of action, quality and name' has been described as the Cause,-This cannot be right; because what has been said to constitute the character of the Cause' is the potency to produce the effect; this Potency can reside only in a Positive Entity; as the Positive Entity alone is characterised by the said Potency. If then, Negation also had the said Potency imposed upon it, how could it not attain the character of the Positive Entity 1 As the presence of that Potenoy alone constitutes the nature of the Positive Entity. In this way the Negation would lose its negative character itself. As negation consists only in the cessation of the character of the 'Positive Entity'.
Then again, if the negation of Action, Quality and Name' were the Cause of the notion of Non-existence, then the notion of being non-existent' would apply to 'Boing' and other Universals also; as therein also is present
the negation of Action, Quality and Name -just as much as in such nonentities as the 'Hare's Horns':-(736-737)
The following Text shows that the Reason cited (by the Opponent under Text 716) is 'unproven' (not admitted) :
TEXT (738). THE FAOT OF THE NOTIONS IN QUESTION BEING DIFFERENT TR NOTIONS OF THE BODY, SHAPE, ETO. IS NOT ADMITTED (OR PROVED); HENCE THE REASON PUT FORWARD IS ALSO OPEN TO THE CHARGE OF BEING UN
PROVEN'-(738)
COMMENTARY As a matter of fact, the notions of the Cow and such things do not have for their objective anything other than the Body, etc. (of the animals); by virtue of which they could be held to be distinct from these latter.-(738)
