[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Philosophy](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darsana) › [Exegesis of the Vedic ritual (Pūrvamīmāṃsā)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darsana.mimamsa) › [Mīmāṃsāsūtra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darsana.mimamsa.mimamsasutra) › [Shabarabhashya (Mimamsasutrabhashya)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darsana.mimamsa.mimamsasutra!sabara) › 87.2 # Mimamsasutra 87.2 Śābarabhāṣya (Mīmāṃsāsūtrabhāṣya) 87.2 - **Language:** Sanskrit ### [87.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darsana.mimamsa.mimamsasutra!sabara.87.2) api veti pakṣo vyāvartyate. pramāṇaṃ smṛtiḥ, vijñānaṃ hi tat. kim ity anyathā bhaviṣyati. pūrvavijñānam asya nāsti, kāraṇābhāvād iti cet. asyā eva smṛter draḍhimnaḥ kāraṇam anumāsyāmahe. tat tu nānubhavanam, anupapattyā. na hi manuṣyā ihaiva janmany evaṃjātīyakam artham anubhavituṃ śaknuvanti. janmāntarānubhūtaṃ ca na smaryate. granthas tv anumīyeta, kartṛsāmānyāt smṛti-vaidikapadārthayoḥ. tenopapanno vedasaṃyogas traivarṇikānām. nanu nopalabhanta evaṃjātīyakaṃ grantham. anupalabhamānā apy anumimīran, vismaraṇam apy upapadyata iti. tad upapannatvāt pūrvavijñānasya tarivarṇikānāṃ smaratām, vismaraṇasya copapannatvād granthānumānam upapadyata iti pramāṇaṃ smṛtiḥ. aṣṭakāliṅgāś ca mantrā vede dṛśyante - yāñ janāḥ pratinandantītyevamādayaḥ. tathā pratyupasthitaniyamānām ācārāṇāṃ dṛṣṭārthatvād eva prāmāṇyam - guror anugamāt prīto gurur adhyāpayiṣyati granthagranthibhedinaś ca nyāyān parituṣṭo vakṣyatīti. tathā ca darśayati - tasmāc chreyāṃsaṃ pūrvaṃ yantaṃ pāpīyān paścād anvetīti. prapāstaḍāgāni ca paropakārāya, na dharmāyety evāvagamyate. tathā ca darśanam - dhanvann iva prapā \[66\] asīti. tathā - sthalayodakaṃ parigṛhṇantīti ca. gotracihnaṃ śikhākarma, darśanaṃ ca - yatra bāṇāḥ saṃpatanti kumārā viśikhā iveti. tena ye dṛṣṭārthāḥ, te tata eva pramāṇam. ye tv adṛṣṭārthāḥ, teṣu vaidikaśabdānumānam iti. > The phrase 'or rather' sets aside the previous position. Tradition is an authority, for it is a cognition. Why should it be otherwise? If it is argued that 'there is no prior cognition for it, because of the absence of a cause', \[we reply:\] from the very firmness of this memory we shall infer the cause. That, however, is not direct experience, because that is impossible; for human beings cannot experience an object of this kind in this very life. Nor is what was experienced in another life remembered. A text, rather, would be inferred, because of the commonality of the agents between tradition and Vedic practices. Thereby, the connection of the members of the three higher classes with the Veda is established. > Objection: But they do not find such a text. \[Reply:\] Even though not finding it, they can infer it, since forgetting is also possible. Thus, because prior cognition is possible for the members of the three higher classes who remember it, and because forgetting is possible, the inference of a text is possible; hence tradition is an authority. > Moreover, mantras indicating the Aṣṭakā rites are seen in the Veda, such as: 'Whom people rejoice at...', and so forth. Likewise, the custom of conventions that have presented themselves is authoritative precisely because they have a visible purpose: 'From following the teacher, the pleased teacher will instruct \[the pupil\], and being satisfied, will explain the principles that untie the knots of the texts.' And \[revelation\] also shows this: 'Therefore, the inferior follows behind the superior who goes ahead.' And water-booths and tanks are understood to be for the benefit of others, not for religious duty. And there is also a scriptural passage: 'You are like a water-booth in a desert.' Likewise: 'They contain water by means of an embankment.' The tonsure rite is a mark of the lineage; and there is a scriptural passage: 'Where the arrows fall like boys with tufts of hair.' Therefore, those that have a visible purpose are authoritative from that very fact; but regarding those that have an unseen purpose, there is the inference of a Vedic text. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 87.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darsana.mimamsa.mimamsasutra!sabara.87.1) - [Next: 87.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darsana.mimamsa.mimamsasutra!sabara.87.3) - [Up: 87](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darsana.mimamsa.mimamsasutra!sabara.87) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darsana.mimamsa.mimamsasutra!sabara~en-mt.87.2) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [Mīmāṃsāsūtra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darsana.mimamsa.mimamsasutra.1.3.2) — Jaimini, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darsana.mimamsa.mimamsasutra!sabara.87.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darsana.mimamsa.mimamsasutra!sabara.87.2) · Pramāṇa