Nyaya Ratnamala of Parthasarathi Misra 4.2.p8.4

4.2.p8.4

On this point we say: consciousness alone must first be examined here. For it arises precisely delimiting contact by space and time: 'these two, fire and smoke, have been connected, are being connected, will be connected'—because it is contact itself, as the verbal meaning, that is delimited by the three times. Thus the arrow shot by yourself strikes you: for it is the operation of the semantic factor that is to be delimited by the three times, not the semantic factor [itself]. Nor must time necessarily be indicated only by the word 'this', because its indication is even more clearly accomplished by the present tense affix and the like. And if connection with time belonged only to an independent substance and not to dependent qualities and actions, then the verbal affixes, which are remembered in the sense of a specific time, would be devoid of an object. For they indicate the temporal delimitation of action alone, not of substance. If that [action] were not delimitable, to what could they express a connection with time? Let there be no apprehension of delimitation of the contact by space and time; even so, [its] intrinsicality is completely unproven. For the determination of its absence is not established merely by the non-apprehension of delimitation, since non-apprehension of what exists is possible. And when the absence of delimitation is not ascertained, intrinsicality is not established. Or, if it is established, present time would also be intrinsic, and consequently, just like contact with fire, this connection with [present] time would result in being intrinsic. There, just as there is no existence [of smoke] devoid of contact with fire, so too, because smoke cannot exist apart from its connection with this [present] time, connection with any other time is ruled out by perception itself, and the momentariness of entities is thereby entailed—so the Buddhists have won! If, on the other hand, connection with time, though undelimited, is not intrinsic, the same would apply to contact with fire. Now, [you might say that] even setting aside the intrinsic connection with time, there is no ascertainment of the invariable relation. Objection: Since connection with other times is apprehended through recognition, the persistence of smoke is established even upon abandoning the previous time; but smoke is never observed apart from contact with fire, so how could it exist without it?