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EXAMINATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF SELF-SUFFICIENT VALIDITY'. 1339
TEXT (2986).
THUS, IT IS ESTABLISHED THAT THE IDEA OF VALIDITY, BEING ASCERTAINED THROUGH THE COGNITION OF EFFECTIVE ACTION, DOES NOT INVOLVE INFINITE REGRESS; AS ALL FURTHER NEED HAS
CEASED.-(2986)
COMMENTARY.. *As all further need has ceased' ;- Parākänksa' is to be treated as a Karmadhāraya compound; parā'--' another', 'further'-being a qualification for 'akānkesa '-'need'.- Or it may be taken as Tatpurusa
need for another'-i.e. anything other than conformity to the reality ;bocause all such need has ceased.
Further, when it is said that Cognition in conformity with reality is valid',-it provides the definition (peculiar characteristic) of that Cognition which brings about the result in the shape of the Cognition of effective action. This definition is not applicable to the Cognition of the result itself; under the circumstances, how could there be any room for the objection that this Cognition also should be regarded as valid ? For instance, when the Seed is defined as the cause of the Sprout, do the wise ones raise the question that the Sprout also should be regarded as the Seed ? What happens in this case is that the fact of the Seed being the cause of the Sprout' is cognised only when one sees the Sprout (rising from it); in the same manner, the Cognition is cognised as "valid ' only when its result in the shape of effective action is perceived ; and this result is not apprehended by another Cognition; only if it did, would there be an Infinite Regress. Because the Cognition of the result, which is in the shape of Cognition, is cognised by itself (not by another Cognition); and there can be no mistake or illusion in the Oognition in regard to itself; because if there were any uncertainty regarding it, the Cognition of itself could not come about at all. Thus there is nothing in what has been urged by the other party.-(2986)
Now, the Opponent urges, in Text 2987, the objection that "in the event of the validity of Cognitions being ascertained through the perfection of its cause (source), there would be an Infinite Regress" ;-and this objection is answered in the subsequent Texts 2988-2990:
TEXTS (2987–2990).
“EVEN WHEN THE COGNITION HAS COME ABOUT, ITS VALIDITY IS NOT
ASCERTAINED UNTIL THE PERFECTION OF ITS SOURCE HAS BEEN APPREHENDED BY ANOTHER COGNITION [SO THAT THERE IS AN INFINITE REGRESS]."-(2987)-THE ANSWER OF THE WISE ONES TO THIS IS THAT THERE CAN BE NO INFINITE REGRESS; BECAUSE THE SAID PERFECTION OF THE SOURCE IS APPREHENDED BY THE COGNITION OF CONFORMITY, WHICH IS NOT DEPENDENT UPON ANYTHING ELSE;
