उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

262 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVIII the negation of non-destruction. A cow is defined according to you as the non-existence of a non-cow. It cannot be the definition of a cow. क्षणवाच्योऽपि योऽर्थः स्यात्सोऽप्यन्याभाव एव ते ॥ १४६॥ 146. Things denoted by the word ‘momentary’ are also, according to you, only the negation of things that are non-momentary.¹ भेदाभावेऽप्यभावस्य भेदो नामभिरिष्यते । नामभेदैरनेकत्वमेकस्य स्यात्कथं तव ॥ १४७ ॥ 147. (The Idealists). As there cannot be any dif- ference in non-existence² differences are due to names only. (Reply). Please, tell me how there can be manyness in one (indivisible non-existence) due only to different names. अपोहो यदि भिन्नानां वृत्तिस्तस्य कथं गवि । नाभावा भेदकाः सर्वे विशेषा वा कथंचन ॥ १४८ ॥ 148. How³ can the negation (of a non-cow) denote a cow if by the word negation the negation of different things is meant ? (Again) no negation⁴ distinguishes one thing from another, nor can special properties⁵ do it. ¹ You have, therefore, to accept a permanent real entity. ² The Idealist means to say that his negation is not that of a reality. ³ For there is no limit to the number of things denoted by the word non-cow. All of them cannot, therefore, be known. So a cow cannot be defined. ⁴ E.g., the negation of a horse or that of a goat does not distinguish a cow from either of them. ⁵ E.g., hornlessness etc. See the next verse.