The Tattvasangraha [with commentary]


This page contains verse 2671-2673 of the 8th-century Tattvasangraha (English translation) by Shantarakshita, including the commentary (Panjika) by Kamalashila: dealing with Indian philosophy from a Buddhist and non-Buddhist perspective. The Tattvasangraha (Tattvasamgraha) consists of 3646 Sanskrit verses; this is verse 2671-2673.

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

देशोत्सादकुलोत्सादरूपो यः प्रलयो भवेत् ।
यो वाऽव्याहतबौद्धेष्टो ब्रह्मादेरपि शङ्क्यते ॥ २६७१ ॥
तस्मिन्सम्भाव्यते वेदे ध्वस्तमूला मतिः परा ।
मिथ्यामोहमदादिभ्यो विपरीता च कल्पना ॥ २६७२ ॥
अन्य एव भवेद्वेदः प्रतिकञ्चुकतां गतः ।
इत्यप्याशङ्क्यते यावद्बाधकं न प्रकाश्यते ॥ २६७३ ॥

deśotsādakulotsādarūpo yaḥ pralayo bhavet |
yo vā'vyāhatabauddheṣṭo brahmāderapi śaṅkyate || 2671 ||
tasminsambhāvyate vede dhvastamūlā matiḥ parā |
mithyāmohamadādibhyo viparītā ca kalpanā || 2672 ||
anya eva bhavedvedaḥ pratikañcukatāṃ gataḥ |
ityapyāśaṅkyate yāvadbādhakaṃ na prakāśyate || 2673 ||

If there be dissolution in the form of the destruction of particular countries or the destruction of particular families,—or in the form of that undeniable destruction postulated by the Buddhist,—which is suspected of affecting Brahmā, etc. also,—such destruction would be possible for the Veda also. Hence any subsequent ideas that might appear (as based upon the Veda) would be one whose basis has been destroyed, and it might be assumed that they may all be false and wrong, arising from delusion, stupefaction, and such other sources; and hence the Veda now available would be only a mere semblance of the original.—All these notions might go on arising until reasons are not available to the contrary.—(2671-2673)


Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

It has been argued by the Mīmāṃsaka, under Text 2277, that—“Dissolution may be there in the form of the destruction of particular countries or the destruction of particular families, etc. etc.”.

The answer to this is as follows:—[see verses 2671-2673 above]

The view held is as follows:—We also do not speak of a dissolution consisting in the disappearance of all words; nor do we admit of a beginning-less Personality who creates and destroys the world. What we hold is that the entire universe is beginningless;—Verbal usage also (according to us) goes on, based upon Conceptions arising from beginningless Impressions,—But as regards the ‘Dissolution’ that you have described, as consisting in the ‘destruction of particular countries’ or the ‘destruction of particular families’,—as also the Buddhist’s idea of Dissolution consisting in the withdrawal of the energy of Fire, Water and Air,—extending (a) horizontally over the ‘Trisāhasra-mahāsāhasra’, (b) downwards to the very limits of the atmospheric Air, and (c) upwards, gradually, to the First, Second and Third stages of ‘Dhyāna’,—which cannot be negatived by any proofs, and is therefore ‘undeniable’,—which it is suspected, affects Brahmā and other Beings also;—under both these forms of Dissolution (one posited by the Opponent and the other by the Buddhist), the destruction of the Veda would be quite possible; and it would also be justifiable to assume that what is asserted there is all wrong; so that what is now known as the ‘Veda’ is something quite different from the original, of which it is a mere ‘Semblance’, a mere husk, masquerading as the real Veda.—Such a suspicion is quite possible, and cannot be easily shaken off, until there are proofs to the contrary.—(2671-2673)

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