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EXAMINATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF SELF-SUFFICIENT VALIDITY'. 1303
TEXT (2894).
" BECAUSE THE DEFECTS ARE NOT COGNISED, THEREFORE THEY DO NOT SET ASIDE THE VALIDITY ; NOT BEING SET ASIDE, IT BECOMES
ESTABLISHED BY ITSELF HERE ALSO."-(2894)
COMMENTARY.
The validity is not set aside-such is the construction. Question: Why is it not set aside ?
Answer: Because they are not cognised'; the defects are discarded by the excellences, hence being non-existent, they are naturally not cognised'.
Not being set aside, etc.'-established, because not set aside. When there is no exception to a general rule, it becomes automatically established.
Here also i.e. in the case of the words of the Trustworthy Person, not only in that of words not emanating from a Personality. This is what is indicated by 'api'-(2894)
Says the Qpponent-If, in the case of certain words emanating from a personality, no defects are found,-even so they are suspected; because they always subsist in such words. So that, just as the excellences, by their sheer presence, are capable of setting aside the defects, so the defects also may be capable of setting aside the excellences why then should it be said that not being cognised, the Defects do not set aside the validity ?'
The Mimāmsaka's answer to this is as follows:
TEXTS (2895-2896).
"IN THE CASE OF WORDS EMANATING FROM PERSONALITIES, THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR DOUBT WHETHER THERE ARE DEFECTS OR NOT. IN THE CASE OF THE VEDA, HOWEVER, THERE BEING NO AUTHOR, THERE CAN BE ABSOLUTELY NO SUSPICION FOR US REGARDING THE PRESENCE OF DEFECTS. CONSEQUENTLY, JUST AS VALIDITY (AND RELIABILITY) IS ACCEPTED IN THE CASE OF THE VEDA. ON THE GROUND OF ITS BEING INDEPENDENT AND SELFSUFFICIENT, SO THE SAME VALIDITY BECOMES ESTABLISHED IN REGARD TO THE WORD3 OF A TRUST.
WORTHY PERSON ALSO." (2895-2896)
COMMENTARY.
The idea is as follows:-" It is not necessary for us to prove the validity of the human assertion; in fact, all this effort of ours is meant for proving tho authority of the Veda ; so that, if the human assertion turns out to be invalid and unreliable, that does no harm to the Veda ; as its validity is proved by the absence of defects ;-this is what is meant by the phrase "on the ground of its being independent and self-sufficient'.
