Those belonging to our own side do not in fact object to this. How so? Because they accept that
Though pots and such aren’t there in true reality,
The world’s consensus is that they in fact exist.
For all phenomena this is the case, which means
It doesn’t follow they’re like barren women’s sons. (6.113)
Some think that, ‘When the bases for the imputation exist – earth, water, fire, wind, form, smell, taste and texture – a jar can be imputed with good reason, it is well-founded. But if it is the case that everything is nothing but imputation, and a basis for the imputation does not have any substantial existence, it cannot be denied that it becomes equivalent to the case of the son of a barren woman.’
This is unsound, because the basis for imputation cannot possibly be substantially established. As stated:
Apart from form and so forth
A pot cannot exist,
And apart from wind and so forth
Form can likewise not exist.1
Similarly:
Earth, water, fire and wind do not
Inherently exist by themselves.
Without three, one cannot be.
Without one, there cannot be three.
If without three each cannot be,
And without one three cannot be,
Then each exists not by itself,
And how to then form a composite?2
Just as you wouldn’t grant that the impermanent could arise from the permanent, it is unsound that something lacking substantial existence could come from something having substantial existence. As stated:
How can impermanent things
Come from what is permanent?
A cause and effect that are incompatible
Can never be observed.3
Thus, based on a collection of imputedly existent things such as a face, one will observe an imputed reflection in a mirror. Based on imputed constituent parts such as pillars and so forth, one imputes a house. A forest is similarly a conceptual designation based on trees. Just as one in dreams may experience sprouts, that are by nature uncreated, being created from seeds that are also by nature uncreated, it makes sense that all imputedly existent things, being imputations, may serve as supports for imputedly existent things. As stated:
Through mastery of magical emanation
…
Are like the city of gandharvas,
Similar to dreams and mirages.
This is therefore not a topic of dispute.4
Title
Chapter 1: Pramuditā
