Perfecting Wisdom by The Dalai Lama

Author:The Dalai Lama
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shambhala
Published: 2019-07-15T16:00:00+00:00

PART THREE

REFUTATION OF TRUE EXISTENCE

6. REFUTATION OF OTHERS’ CONCEPTIONS OF TRUE EXISTENCE

111. According to some, both [awareness and its object] are truly existent, but that is completely untenable. If the object [truly] exists by the power of the awareness of it, what then is the justification for the [true] existence of awareness?

Realists assert that both awareness and its object are truly existent, but that view is completely untenable. If the object is truly existent on account of the true existence of awareness, what grounds are there for maintaining the true existence of awareness?1

112. Moreover, if awareness [truly] exists by the power of the object of awareness, what is the justification for the [true] existence of that object? Thus, as they exist by the power of each other, neither would be [truly] existent.

Moreover, if awareness is established on account of a truly existent object of awareness, what are the grounds for asserting the latter? It is appropriate to posit their mutually dependent existence. But if one is not satisfied with that and insists on an intrinsic basis for their existence, then inconsistencies are inevitable.

Thus, if verifying cognition and its object exist in mutual dependence—establishing each in relation to the other—neither would be truly existent. They would both exist as mere conventions in a relational sense; they would not exist by their own intrinsic natures.

113. Without a father there can be no son, for where would the son come from? But in the absence of a son there is no father. Similarly, both [awareness and its object] are not [truly] existent.

A father and child exist relative to one another. Without a child, a father cannot be posited. It is strange: Until a child is [physically] conceived, a man is not a father, for he cannot be labeled as such. Thus, “father” is posited in relation to a child, and before a child is conceived there is no father. Once a child is conceived, there is a father. And yet one says that a child is sired by its father. The man whose seed goes to help produce a child is not a father prior to conception, but in reference to the child that will be produced later on, one can speak of the father who sired the child. If one analytically seeks out the father on his own, his existence cannot be posited. Thus, the two are established relative to one another.2

114. Since a sprout arises from a seed, the [true existence of] the seed is thereby revealed. Since awareness arises from an object of knowledge, why is its [true] existence not ascertained?

Realist: One can infer the true existence of a seed by the fact that it produces a sprout.3 Likewise, why can one not realize the true existence of an object of knowledge, since awareness arises in dependence on it?4

115. The existence of a seed is understood because of a cognition that is different from the sprout. But whence comes an ascertainment of the [true] existence of awareness simply because an

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.