Refuting Wrong Doctrines*


“Is ‘personality’ perceived in the sense of real and ultimate reality?” “Certainly!”

“Then, can ‘personality’ be perceived in the sense of real and ultimate reality like a real and ultimate fact is perceived?” “That cannot truly be said so!”

“Recognize your contradiction! Because if personality could be perceived in the sense of real and ultimate reality then one should also be able to say: ‘personality’ can be perceived in the sense of real and ultimate reality like a real and ultimate fact is perceived!

But if you said thus: ‘indeed it could be said: ‘personality’ cannot be perceived in the sense of real and ultimate reality like a real and ultimate fact is perceived’ and then (at the same time you say): ‘indeed it could not be said: ‘personality’ can be perceived in the sense of real and ultimate reality’ then this is false!”

If one could not say: ‘personality’ can be perceived in the sense of real and ultimate reality like a real and ultimate fact is perceived’ then come, Sir, how then could it be said: ‘personality’ can be perceived in the sense of real and ultimate fact’?

Then if you said thus: ‘indeed it could be said: ‘personality’ can be perceived in the sense of real and ultimate reality and then (at the same time you say): ‘indeed it could not be said: ‘personality’ can be perceived in the sense of real and ultimate reality like a real and ultimate fact is perceived’ then this is false!”

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Kathavatthu: Kathā + vatthu: talk, discourse + subject, substance
Last modified: Monday, 14 December 2015, 8:31 AM