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1576
TATTVASANGRAHA: CHAPTER XXVI.
Question :-"Why cannot there be apprehension of that Universal?" Answer:
TEXT (3636).
Tas CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE MYSTIC IS FREE FROM CONCEPTUAL CONTENT AND IS NOT ERRONEOUS; AND IF IT APPREHENDED THE SAID UNIVERSAL, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING BESET WITH
CONCEPTUAL CONTENT AND ERROR.-(3636)
COMMENTARY
The Mystic Consciousness has been held to be valid Perception, because it is free from Conceptual Content and is not erroneous. If however, it envisaged the Universal as described above, then it would apprehend an illusory thing and thus become beset with Conceptual Content; and as apprehending the unreal thing in the shape of the Universal as assumed by other people, it would become beset with Error also.
Or both being taken as referring to both, there are two objectionable features.-(3636)
It has been shown that the Cognition in question, as apprehending an unreal and purely fanciful thing, becomes beset with Conceptual Content and Error. It is next shown in another way, that it becomes beset with Error for the following reason also:
TEXT (3637).
BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN ALREADY EXPLAINED THAT THE UNIVERSAL WHICH CONSISTS OF THE CONCEPTUAL CONTENT AND IS INCAPABLE OF BEING SPOKEN OF, AND IS IN THE
FORM OF PERMANENT CONTIGUITY, IS
FORMLESS (FEATURELESS). — (3637)
COMMENTARY.
It has just been said that the Universal, which is incapable of being spoken of that is, the Universal which cannot be spoken of as either this or 'not-this', -forms the very essence of Conceptual Content because inasmuch as-this has been already explained under the section on 'Apoha',
therefore the said Consciousness becomes beset with Conceptual Content'; such is the connection with what has gone before in the preceding text).
The reason for this is as follows:-As the Universal is of the nature of Conceptual Content, the Mystic Consciousness that envisaged it would also be of the nature of Conceptual Content; because it is apprehended as of that nature. As regards the Conceptual Content, wherever it appears, it presents as good and desirable, what is not good and not-desirable; hence it is always wrong; hence the said Apprehension becomes beset with Error.
