意識如何緣取不存在的對象？以經量部上座的理論與說一切有眾賢的批評為中心=How does the Mental Consciousness Cognize Non-existent Objects? ─ Focusing on the Theory of the Sautrāntika Master Srilata and the Criticism Thereof from the Sarastivada Master Samghabhadra
The article investigates the theory held by the Sautrāntika Master Srilata about how the mental consciousness cognizes non-existent objects and the criticism thereof from the Sarastivada Master Samghabhadra. Different from the ontological scheme of〝all dharmas are real in the past,present and future,〞 Srilata starts from the ontological scheme of momentariness and has to face the difficulty of how non-existent objects can cause the mental consciousness to arise. The article explores the issue in question by driving it into three cases: (1)How does the mental consciousness that succeeds a sensory consciousness cognize an external object that does not exist when the mental consciousness arises? (2)How does the mental consciousness memorize, i.e.,cognize a long-past object that one has experienced? (3)How does the mental consciousness cognize a past object that one has not experienced or future object? Under these three cases, this article explores the various strategies proposed by Srilata for resolving the difficulties, and the criticism thereof from Samghabhadra. This article sides with Samghabhadra's criticism, but suggests that the irresolvable difficulties actually motivate further development of Buddhist epistemology. After Srilata Dignanga's idea that cognition there is a mental image of the object, can successfully defends itself against Samghabhadra's criticism.
