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TATTVASANGRAHA: CHAPTER XXIV.
and Action are spoken of as particular means of accomplishing the Good; and it is shown that the name 'Dharma' is applicable to these. These, Substance and the rest, are perceptible, in their own forms,--but not as the means of accomplishing the good; and it is in this latter form that they are held to be dharma', not merely in their own forms. This has been thus asserted— The Good consists in the happiness of the man, and this happiness is brought about by Substance, Quality and Action as indicated in the Injunction; hence it is to these that the character of Dharma belongs ; even though these, by themselves, are within the reach of the Senses, yet it is not in that form that they are Dharma. The fact of these being the means of accomplishing the good is learnt from the Veda ; and it is in this form that these are Dharma; hence Dharma is not amenable to the Senses'. [Vide Shlokavdrtika, So. 2, 191, and 13-14.)- In that form', as being the means of bringing about the Good.-Thus it is established that Dharma is a capacity or Potenoy.
"From thje it is also clearly understood, by implication, that Adharma also, as contrary to Dharma, is a Potency or capacity to bring about what is not-Good.
"This capacity or Potency a man with limited powers of vision cannot perceive directly by the Senses ; because capacity is always inferred from its effects; as has been declared in the passage The Potencies of all things are always proved by Presumption from these effects':-(Shlokavārtika, Sū. 2, 200.)-If it were not so, then the character of 'having limited powers of vision' would disappear.-Nor can the Perception of mystics apprehend supersensuous things, simply because they are Perception-like any other Perception.
"Nor can Inference be of use in knowing what is Dharma; because Inference can envisage only such a thing as has had its relation with something else already known; and Dharma is not such a thing.
"Nor can Analogy bring about the knowledge of Dharma ; because Analogy consists in similitude and brings about the cognition of a thing not before the Eyes ; e.g. the seeing of the Gavaya brings about the remembrance of the Cow; and there can be nothing which is known to be similar to Dharma, - which similarity could bring about the cognition of this Dharma.
"Nor is Presumption capable of bringing about the knowledge of Dharma and Adharma. Because Presumption consists in the assuming of something not perceived, on the ground that something else, which has been perceived or heard of, would not be possible or explicable without the said assumption. Dharma is not something without which something else would not be explicable or possible,-whereupon its Presumption could be based
"Non-apprehension also, which consists in the absence of all Means of Cognition, serves to bring about the idea of this is not, and not any positive idea.
"Thus then, Dharma and Adharma would fall within the jaws of this Non-apprehension and would be swallowed by it, if the Vedic Injunction were not there to save them. Hence Dharma must be regarded as that which is indicated by the Injunctive Word as conducive to welfare --and it cannot be anything that is indicated by the Senses or other Means of Cognition