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1130
TATTVASANGRAHA : CHAPTER XXIV.
TEXT (2425).
THE VEDA IS REGARDED TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT, BECAUSE IT DOES NOT DEPEND UPON THE ACTION OF ANY PERSON; AND THE SAID self-sufficiency MUST BE EITHER THE PROPERTY
OF A POSITIVE ENTITY ONLY, OR SUCH A
POSITIVE ENTITY ITSELF.-(2425)
COMMENTARY.
What is meant by the Veda being without an Author' is that it is self-sufficient; as the argument that is put forward is that “the Veda is independent of the action of Persons, and hence valid and reliable as a means of knowledge". If it were not so, then what peculiar character would it be which would be proved by the proving of the fact that the Veda is not the work of an Author ?
This character of 'not being the work of an author' is the property of an entity for those who regard the distinction between the thing and its property as real-As a matter of fact, however, the property' is only the nature of the entity itself, and is spoken of as its property for the purpose of precluding other diversities. This is what is meant by the words or a positive entity itself- Such-i.e. self-sufficient.-(2425)
It has been argued under Text 2100, that"when the proofs adduced to prove the existence of such an Author are refuted, the absence of such a one follows as a matter of course".
The answer to this is as follows:
TEXTS (2426-2428).
IT CERTAIN PROOTS ARE ADDUCED IN SUPPORT OF THE VIEW THAT THERE
IS AN AUTHOR OF THE VEDAS, -IF THESE PROOFS ARE REFUTED, IT DOES not NECESSARILY FOLLOW THAT THERE IS NO SUCH AUTHOR. IN FAOT ON THE REFUTATION OF THE PROOF OF HIS EXISTENCE, WHAT FOLLOWS IS THAT THERE IS NO CERTAINTY REGARDING HIS EXISTENCE ; SIMILARLY THE MERE SETTING ASIDE OF THE IDEA OF HIS EXISTENCE IS NOT ENOUGH TO BRING ABOUT ANY CERTAINTY AT ALL.-AS A MATTER OF YAOT, EVEN ON THE CESSATION OF THE MEANS OF COGNITION, THERE IS NO CERTAINTY REGARDING THE NONEXISTENCE OF THE THING CONCERNED; HENCE ALL THAT IT CAN PROVE IS THAT THERE IS NO CERTAINTY REGARDING EITHER OF THE TWO VIEWS.-(2426-2428)
COMMENTARY
When a certain proof is adduced for the purpose of bringing about certainty regarding a certain thing, if that proof is refuted, all that will