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EXAMINATION OF THE IMPORT OF WORDS.
515
Being' is used only in the sense of excluding what is non-being. Nonexistent).-(958)
Question - Answers
What is the harm if that is so '
TEXT (959). “IN THAT CASE, EVEN THE Non-existent (NON-BEING) WOULD HAVE A POSITIVE CHARACTER; WHICH WOULD BE A GREAT CALAMITY. AND WHEN THERE IS NO NEGATION, THERE WOULD BE NO Existence (POSITIVE AT ALL ; AND AS A CONSEQUENCE) Non-existence ALSO WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE."—[Shlo. Vă. Apoha
991–1959)
COMMENTARY
As shown before (under 956, above) 'Negations would abandon their negative character ' hence if there were exclusion of the non-existent, it would be a positive entity; and as this would involve the idea of the nonexistent also being a positive entity, which would be contrary to the Apohist's doctrine,—this would be a great calamity for him.
It might be said The Negation may be an entity, what then I
The answer is- When there is no Negation, etc. etc. When there would be no Negation, there would be no existence of anything at all; because, according to your view, existence is only the exclusion or negation of non-existence; so that, when Negation is excluded', it becomes an Entity, and loses its character; hence there can be no non-existence either; as that also is only the exchision or negation of existence, and existence does not exist, as shown above.-(959)
It has been asserted before-la) that they would be differentiated by the excluded things' (Text, 929), and (b) that 'there can be no difference among Apohas because they are non-entities' (Text, 926). These arguments have been thus answered by oertain Bauddhas - The difference among Apohas is due, not to the difference of substrata, nor to the difference among the excluded things; what happens is that on diverse external objects there are superimposed Apohas which are themselves featureless, and consist only in the form of those objects, and hence appearing as diverse; they are so superimposed by cognitions, which, though rather objectless, rest upon diverse unreal objects, and are related to variegated conceptual Impressions extending over all time without beginning and being thus superimposed, these Apohas appear as diverse and as existing ; 80 that the diversity and positive character of Apohas would be due to the diversity of the said Impressions
This is answered in the following
