________________
864
TATTVASANGRAHA: CHAPTER XXI.
third among the above views-[i.e. the view of Vasumitra, that the changes in things are due to the variations in their states of activity).What has been stated in connection with the example of Gold (under Tearts 1786-1787) is only an indication of the thesis of all these writers and it is not in strict reference to the view of Dharmatrāta only the first of the views described). This is clear from what is going to be said (under Text 1791)- As regards the distinction among things due to their states of activity, etc. etc.' ;-and under the view of Dharmaträta the distinction is not based upon states of activity ; it is only under Vasumitra's view that it is so.
This view (Vasumitra's) is as follows:
"If tho 'Past' and the Future' were not there, then such notions as *There lived Mahisammata', 'Sharkha is going to be an all-world sovereign' and so forth, which involve the idea of what is past and what is going to be-would be entirely baseless ; in fact, the Object not being there, the Idea also could not be there ; because in regard to the case of everything, the Idea is in the form in which the Object is cognised; so that if the cognised Object is not there, there is nothing that could be apprehended by the Cogni. tion; hence there would be no Cognition (or Idea) at all.
"Further, the Blessed One has declared that 'Every cognition is produced on the basis of two things.-Which two things -The Eye and the Colours and the Mental Function'. If then the Past and the Future are not there, the cognition based upon these would not be on the basis of two things ; so that there would be incompatibility with the scriptures.
"Further, a past act could not bring about its fruit, if it were devoid of essence and devoid of existence, at the time of the appearance of the fruit, as the cause of that fruit would not be there ; what is non-existent cannot have the capacity to produce an effect; as 'non-existenco' consists in the absence of all capacity.
"Then again, such ideas as 'Mândhāna Devadatta lived', 'the world sovereign Shankha shall be Maitreya Tathāgata',-which appear distinctly and severally in the minds of Mystics, in regard to the Past and the Future, could not be possible ; as there can be no distinction among things that are non-existent.
"From all this it follows that past and future entities, like Shriharsa and others, cannot be regarded as mere negations of substance', -because they have been declared as to be included under the states':--The Blessed Lord has declared as follows:-* O Bhikṣus, if the Past form had not existed, then the noble Shrävaka would not have heard and boen entirely in. different regarding past forms; hence, because there is a Past form of things, therefore the noble Shrāvaka has heard and has thus become indifferent to the Past. All this severally would be much too detailed; hence thus whatever form has been past or is in future, all this is spoken of briefly as Colour-phase'."
In the compound in the text) Adhwasangraha, etc. etc.', -the term adhursangraha' stands for Colour, etc., in the sense that they are included under the states'.
The 'Eto' includes Sensation and other Phases.