Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c9.s2.13

v1.c9.s2.13

The T., when examined in the five-fold way (i.e. identity, difference etc.), has been shown as neither existing by itself (*svabhāvataḥ*), nor with reference to the skandhas (= *upādānas*), (i.e. *parabhāvataḥ*). Moreover the skandhas themselves are non-existent, because they are dependently originated (*pratītya-samutpannatvāt*).² Their existence also cannot be established indirectly (*parabhāvataḥ*), that is, by their relation to something else, e.g. the *upādātṛ*. The existence of *upādāna* is not possible without an agent (*upādātṛ*). Even if the existence of the agent (*upādātṛ*) be assumed, how can the reality of a thing be established by showing its relation to the agent (or originator) when the thing itself is non-existent which N. has shown in the chapter on *skandhaparīkṣā*. Nāgārjuna thus concludes that there is neither *upādāna* nor *upādātṛ*.³