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TATTVASANGRAHA : CHAPTER XXII.
produced, without having brought about a moment' in the Clay incapable of further efficiency. In fact, in the bringing about of all modifications, the process is the same that of producing of a moment' (entity) incapable of producing another moment'; if it were not so, nothing could be directly contrary to anything. If such direct modification were possible, then, as the Cause, so the effect also could be modified directly by itself, -not through the bringing about of a like modification in its material cause.--It is true that in the case of the Lamp,- there is a modification brought about in its outspreading light by putting up an intervening screen without modifying the Light at all; but in this case the Lamp is not the direct Material Cause of the Light ; each Light-moment is the cause of the Light-moment that follows it ; so that what happens is that the screen brings about a modification in the shape of a moment' devoid of further causal efficiency, and thereby practically destroys the Light at that point.-In a case where a thing is modified without modifying an entity, it is not a case of Material Cause ; whon, for instance, the Cow is modified without modifying the Gavaya. -In the case in question, however, it is found that, without modifying the Body, the Subjective Consciousness is subjected, by wrong-doing, to modifications, such as evil intentions and the like. So that here there would be apprehension of something contrary to the wider premiss (that there can be no modification in the effect without modifications in the Cause :-if the Body were regarded as the Material Cause of Subjective Consciousness).
Objection:-“When there is modification in the Body, in the shape of being well-nourished and strong. --which is brought about by good food, there is actually perceived a modification in the Subjective Consciousness, in the shape of Love and Hatred, etc."
What does it matter if such modification is seen! This alone does not make our Reason inadmissible. For example, all that is meant by us is that, when between two things, the modification of one is possible without modification of the other, then the one cannot be the Material Cause of the other. It is quite possible that under certain circumstances, without any modification in the Body, there is modification in the subjective Consciousness by wrong-doing. Consequently why should our Reason beinad missible'? But on the basis of occasional strey instances of modification (of the Subjective Consciousness due to modification in the Body) it cannot be right to regard the one as the Material Cause of the other. As, in this way, the object also might become the Material Cause (of Cognition). For instance, when one sees such disgusting things as the blood of the tiger, etc., there appears a modification in the mind of a cowardly person, in the shape of stoon and so forth; and yet this does not make the said Subjective Consciousness a material effect of that blood. Again, when the Mind is beset with vascillations due to love or grief and such causes, there come about certain modifications in the Body; and on the basis of this the Body might come to be regarded as having the Mind for its Material Cause. What is a fact is that when the modification of one thing always follows the modification of another, then alone can the one be rightly regarded as the Material Cause of the other. Modifications of the Mind in the shape of Love, Hate, etc.