—  850  — 
a  one».  How  is  that?  Did  he  in  these  cases  admit  an  eternal  continuation 
of  life?  If  it  be  supposed  that  Buddha  perceived  a  man's  (destiny)  previously 
to  his  entering  the  absolute  state  and  ceased  to  perceive  it  after  that,  then  it 
would  follow  that  he  did  not  answer  (the  question  about  the  existence  of  a 
Buddha  after  death),  because  he  did  not  know  of  it.  But  this  is  a  denial  of 
our  Great  Master's  omniscience.  Otherwise  (there  is  only  one  explanation 
possible,  namely  that  he  did  not  answer  the  question  about  the  existence  of 
a  Buddha  i.  e.  an  absolute  Soul  after  the  death  of  the  body  because)  there 
is  altogether  no  Soul.  You  are  driven  to  accept  (our,  the  Sarvästivädin's 
view).  If  on  the  contrary  you  admit  that  he  perceived  the  existence  of  a 
Soul  in  this  case,  but  was  silent  about  it,  then  it  will  be  proved  that  a 
Soul  is  existing  and  is  eternal.  Or  (perhaps  you  will  have  recourse  to  your 
favourite  method  and  declare  that)  this  also  is  something  undefinable,  that 
Buddha  does  and  does  not  perceive  it  at  the  same  time!  But  hush!  hush!  do 
not  give  voice  to  such  (blasphemy)! 
[§  11.  A  further  argument  in  favour  of  a  Soul  stated 
and  answered]. 
юз.  a.  a.  Vatsipittriya<  (Some  kind  of)  Individual  must  exist,  since  Scripture 
declares:  «to  maintain  dogmatically  cd  have  no  Soul»  is  a  wrong  dogma». 
Vastibtmdhu.  But  it  likewise  declares:  «to  maintain  that  there  is  a 
Soul  is  wrong  dogmatism».  Therefore  this  is  absolutely  inadmissible.  The 
Abhidharmists  declare  both  these  views  to  be  inadmissible  extremes. 
They  are  included  by  them  among  the  heresies  as  the  belief  in  Eternity  and 
Nihilism.  Their  view  is  profoundly  logical,  since  it  is  just  the  same  view  that 
has  been  preferred  in  the  Discourse  with  Vatsa:  «0  Ananda!  if  we  declare 
that  there  is  a  (real)  Soul,  we  shall  fall  into  (the  extreme  of)  Eternity;  and 
if  we  declare  that  there  is  no  (empirical)  Self,  we  shall  fall  into  (the  extreme 
of)  Nihilism)). 
[§  12.  Is  there  any  transmigration  of  Souls]. 
юз.  a.  7.  Vatsiputrlya.  If  there  were  no  Individual  existing,  who  is  it  that  does 
migrate,  (appearing  and  disappearing  in  different  existences),  since  it  is  im- 
possible to  suppose  that  the  process  of  life  is  itself  appearing  and  disappearing? 
Besides  the  Lord  lias  declared  in  Scripture:  «The  living  beings  are  migra- 
