219. ABHINAVAGUPTA'STHEORY OF MEANING 243

ABHINAVAGUPTA'STHEORY OF MEANING 243

plurality of powers is based upon the difference of functions performed.

But if the Prabhakara were to say that by far.reaching power he means that in certain constructions the word or words convey the so called suggestible meaning directly, without passing through the intermediate stages of arousing the primary and the secondary meanings, he assumes an indefensible position. For, the word, not being associated with that meaning by the convention, how can it arouse that ? The reason is obvious. The word is conventionally associated with the primary meaning only. It can, there- fore, directly give rise to that alone and not to the suggest- ible, because the former serves1 as an instrumental cause for the arousal of the latter. If then the opponent were to say that the consciousness of the suggestible meaning arises independently of that of the conventional, he has to answer the following questions :- Is the consciousness of the conventional meaning in any way necessary for that of the suggested, i.e. does the consciousness of the former serve as a stimulus for the. latter or not ? If not, why then only some words and not others give rise to certain suggestible meanings ? But if it does, it has then to be clearly stated whether the cons- ciousness of the former precedes that of the latter or follows it.

If the opponent were to admit that the suggested meaning rises immediately after hearing the suggestive word and that the consciousness of the conventional meaning, which is a stimulus to it, simply follows, his statement would apparently be as good as saying that the grandson is

1. Dh. L., 18-9.