The Central Conception of Buddhism and the Meaning of the Word "Dharma" c19.s2.1

c19.s2.1

*Sautrāntika.*—To this we must make the following reply :—What is it that keeps (an element from exhibiting its action) ? And how is (the time of this action to be determined) ? If it, the time of an element's existence, does not differ from the essence of the element itself, there will altogether be no time. If the element in the future and in the past exists just in the same sense as in the present, why is it future and past ? The essence of the elements of existence (*dharmatā*) is deep !