—  946  — 
Vasubandhu.  Because  it  does  not  serve  as  a  substratum  for  feeling. 
The  six  categories  of  subjective  elements  alone  can  serve  as  a  substratum 
(for  feeling  etc.),  but  not  a  Soul.  How  this  (serving  as  a  substratum  is  to  be 
understood)  has  been  explained  (just  above). 
Vaigesika,  But  if  there  is  no  Soul,  how  do  you  account  for  the  fact, 
that  an  action  which  no  more  exists  produces  nevertheless  a  result  at  a 
later  period? 
Vasitbandhu.  And  if  it  did  exist,  how  would  you  account  for  it? 
Vaigesika.  The  results  are  produced  from  merit  and  demerit,  which  are 
qualities  inhering  in  the  Soul,  (and  which  are  the  immediate  products  of 
actions). 
Vasubandhu.  This  argument  has  been  already  (implicitly)  disposed  of 
just  above,  when  we  analyzed  the  idea  of  inherence  (of  qualities  in  a  sub- 
stratum) and  asked  for  examples  illustrating  this  relation.  Therefore  (your 
qualities)  of  merit  and  demerit  do  not  at  all  inhere  in  a  substance,  (i.  e.  in 
your  Soul).  But  neither  do  we  maintain  that  future  results  are  produced  from 
actions,  which  exist  no  more! 
Vaigesika.  But  from  what  ? 
Vasubandhu.  (They  are  immediately  produced)  from  a  characteristic 
change  (the  ultimate  phase)  in  the  uninterrupted  stream  of  elements  origi- 
nating from  these  (actions),  just  as  the  fruit  is  produced  (gradually)  from  a 
seed.  If  people  f.  i.  say  that  the  fruit  is  produced  from  the  seed,  they  dont 
mean  that  the  fruit  is  produced  from  a  (non- existing)  destroyed  seed,  neither 
do  they  suppose  that  the  fruit  will  be  produced  immediately  from  the  seed 
alone. 
Vaigesika.  But  what  do  they  mean? 
Vasitbandhu.  (It  is  the  immediate  product  of  the  ultimate)  phase  in  the 
process  of  development,  (which  begins  by  the  seed),  i.  e.  alter  the  seed  there 
arises  a  sprout,  a  stem,  leaves  etc,  till  at  last  the  series  is  closed  by  a 
flower  which  immediately  produces  (the  fruit). 
Vaigesika.  But  if  the  fruit  is  produced  from  the  flower,  why  do  people 
say  that  it  is  produced  from  the  seed? 
Vasubandhu.  Because  the  (seed)  has  indirectly  introduced  into  the 
flower  its  own  capacity  (influence).  If  the  flower  were  not  imbued  with  this 
capacity,  it  would  not  have  the  power  of  producing  a  fruit  of  the  same  kind 
(as  the  seed).  Similary  if  we  say  that  actions  have  results,  this  neither  means 
that  an  unexistiug  action  produces  a  result,  nor  does  it  mean  that  retribution 
follows  immediately  on  the  action. 
