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"THE REVHALED WORD."
1075
TEXTS (2289-2290).
"IN THE CASE OF THE LETTERS HOWEVER, SUCH ETERNALITY WOULD
NOT BE POSSIBLE IF THEY WERE NOT REALLY UNCHANGEABLE; IT IS ONLY WHEN THE LETTERS THEMSELVES ARE ETERNAL THAT THEIR Order CAN APPEAR THROUGH USAGE ; JUST IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE JAR AND OTHER THINGS ARE MADE ONLY WHEN THE ETERNAL ATOMS ARE THERE; IN THE ABSENCE OF THESE, THE MAKING OF THESE THINGS WOULD HAVE NO BASIS AT ALL, AND NONE SUCH IS EVER PERCEIVED." [Shlokavārtika ETERNALITY OF WORDS, 290-292].—(2289-2290)
COMMENTARY.
Like the Order, the Letters also could not be regarded as eternal in usage, though not unchangeably eternal, and the phenomena of the comprehension of the meanings of words explained on that basis.
Question Why can it not be so explained ?
Answer It is only when the Letters, etc. etc.'-If the Letters were unchangeably eternal-in that case, the usage would be possible through tradition among people and thence the appearance of the Order ; i.e. the Order would acquire its existence; as for example, the making of the Jar, etc. proceeds from the Atoms as their basis.
In some places, the reading is keramādayah' (for 'Teramodayah '); in which case the "ādi' would include their Connection', 'Recognition' and so forth.
Question :- Why cannot the making (and appearance, of Jar, etc. and Order) be possible without the eternality of the Letters and the Atoms?'
Answer - In the absence of these, etc. etc. in the absence of these stands for if both, the Letters and the Atoms, were not unchangeably elernal'.
Says the Opponent-Just as the Atoms are the constituent cause of the Jar and other things,-30 of the Letters also, there would be subtler constituent parts; as has been declared (by Grammarians) that-Of Letters there are constituent parts, of which the Letters themselves are only the fourth stage'. Under the circumstances, how is it that Letters are described as unchangeably eternal ?
Answer: This does not affect our case. It has been explained in course of the Refutation of Sphota (Shlokavārtika), that Lotters have no constituent parts.-(2289-2290)
Further, if Letters were not eternal, in the sense of being unchangeable, -then, in the mind of every user of words, the idea could not be there that "I am uttering only those words that have been used by others'; and yet as