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FOREWORD
OXLE
qualities may be designated by one quality only. But it is not possible to designate an object with two qualities at one and the same moment.
Kumârila. 4. A thing has three natures; for example, gold, being one in all changes, may take the other two forms and still be called as gold.
Refutation. 1. It must first be cleared up whether the two qualities imposed on an entity differ from each other or not. If they differ then how can one entity possess two different natures without itself being different ? If they do not, then what is the reason for formulating two qualities and not one? So it is impossible to say that one thing has two qualities. If an entity differs from all other objects, it does not necessarily mean that the entity is impossible like a flower in the sky but it may be called a different object.
2. How can one thing really possess two contrary qualities at the same time, namely, the difference and sameness with other objects? If it is seen in daily life it cannot be correct. Narasimha does not possess two different natures, but there are two crowds of atoms which are to be known as Narasimha when combined.
3. One entity cannot be one and many at the same time. There does not exist any entity which may possess many colours but remain one at the same time. This is self-contradictory. According to the nature of the qualities the entities should also differ. If you think, as the Buddhists do, that by reflection (Kalpand) only a thing is considered as apparently differing and not differing from other objects by reason of the two qualities, but that there are no qualities really existent, then we have no quarrel with you.
4. New birth, sameness and change, are contrary qualities, Gold cannot have these three without itself being changed. All things being momentary gold also changes every moment, takes the different forms and produces a variety of knowledge such of necklace, vardhamánaka, etc.
