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TATTVASANGRAHA: CHAPTER XXIV.
TEXT (2619).
IT XAS BEEN ALREADY EXPLAINED THAT WORDS DO NOT BRING ABOUT THE COGNITION OF THINGS DIRECTLY, BECAUSE THERE IS NO INVARIABLE CONCOMITANCE BETWEEN WORDS AND EXTERNAL THINGS; ALL THAT THE WORDS DO IS TO INDICATE THE PRESENCE (IN THE SPEAKER) OF THE desire to
speak (OF THINGS).-(2619)
COMMENTARY. As a matter of fact, there is no real connection between the Word and the thing expressed by it, which could be either eternal or non-eternal. Because it is not the external objects that words denote: as there is no invariable concomitance between them; as has been previously explained under the chapter on Word'. And if words were to denote things without such concomitance, then there would be incongruities.
Question "If that is so, then what is it that the words express" ?
Anstoer All that the words do, etc, etc.-this desire to speak' also, they point to, not as something denoted by them; they only serve as signs indicative of it. That is why they have been spoken of an indicating the Desire to Speak. What happens is that when the Word is uttered, there appears a'conception envisaging the object, and not envisaging the Desire to Speale: and what is not envisaged by the Word when heard, how can that be regarded as denoted by it ?-(2619)
Question "If that is so, then what is the connection between the words and the said Desire to Speak, by virtue of which they could serve to indicate that Desire ?" Answer -
TEXT (2620).
WORDS ARE DEFINITELY KNOWN-THROUGH PERCEPTION AND NONAPPREHENSION-AS THE effect OF THE DESIRE TO SPEAK: HENCE BETWEEN THEM THE RELATIONSHIP IS CLEARLY
THAT OF Cause and Effect. --(2620)
COMMENTARY
As a matter of fact, words are definitely known-through Perception and Non-apprehension in oneself, to be the effect of the Desire to Speak; hence the relation between them is that of Cause and Effect.-(2620)
Says the Opponent: "If that is so, then Convention becomes useless ; the said causal relation being determined by the said Perception and Non. apprehension ".
The answer to that is as follows: