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TATTVASANGRAHA: CHAPTER XXII.
the argument that we have put forward is only by way of Reductio ad Absurdum.
Our Reason cannot be regarded as inadmissible Because the other party has accepted the view that Atoms are in conjunction with one another, --that there is no intervening space between them,--and that each Atom is surrounded by Atoms distinct frozu one another; if it were not so, how could there be any Cognition of it? Thus though it has not been admitted in so many words that there is diversity of facingw' in Atoms--yet it follows from the acceptance of their being in conjunction and so forti. Unless there is diversity of upper and lower parts, there cannot be any Conjunction, etc., there is none in the Go of the Mind and Mental Effects :-this has been explained before.
It has been argued thust "It is necessary to admit a Onuse for the Idea of the Atom, and that which is the Cause of that Ides in the Atoms ". -The answer to that is that there is already a cause for the illusory idea of
Atom', in the shape of the notion of the dust-particles coming in through the hole this notion resulting from the fruition of the Irapressions left by the contemplation of wrong teachings. It cannot be right to regard the Atom itself as the cause of its own Idea; as in that case, the Atom would not have a purely subjective existence. If it were not so, then the cause of the idea of the Soul would consist of the Soul itself, -and not of the "Thoughtpluwes (Skandhas) In this way, as of the Atorn, so of the Soul also, there could be no denial.
Thus it is established that Atoms cannot be one ; and as there can no longer be any doubt on this point, our Renson cannot be regarded as 'inadmissible' for proving the fact of Atorns being non-existent.—(1993-1997)
Having thus proved that the External Object' is devoid of the nature of many, the Text proceeds to show that it cannot have the nature of *one: -
TEXT (1998). BECAUSE, ON ACCOUNT OF THE NON-CONJUNCTION OF THE ATOM, THE COMPOSITE CANNOT EXIST, THEREFORE OTHER PEOPLE REGARD
THE COMPOSITE AS COMPOSED OF ATOMS.-(1998)
COMMENTARY
Those people who admit of the Gross Object, even though not composed of Atoms, for them, like the Atom, the Gross Object also could not be regarded as one, because of the diversity of its facings'; because if it were one entity, then the shaking of the hand or the limbs would lead to the shaking of the whole body.--As this is quite clear, and was threshed out on several occasions, the Author has not pointed out here any objections to this view.
Thus the Reason that which is devoid of the nature of one and many, oto. etc. which has been put forward by us, for proving that there can be no activity in regard to external objects',-is one that cannot be regarded as inadmissible'. And when that is admissible', the Earth and other