Comments

Comm. NT: 19.
Rūpakkhandhakathāvaṇṇanā

“‘From finding visibility, etc., [respectively] in a state of excess’: from finding them associated with these differences, namely, the bright visible datum in fire, sound audible through its individual essence in air, the odour beginning with surabhi perfume in earth, and the sweet taste in water, thus ‘visible data, etc., are the [respective] qualities of these.’
This is according to the first theory, and he has stated the conclusion (uttara) that follows, beginning with ‘we might assume’ in terms of that.
The second is confuted in the same way.
Or alternatively, ‘Then they may say,’ etc., can be taken as said emphasizing, in order to confute it, the theory of Kaṇāda, which asserts that the eye, etc., are respectively made by fire, space, earth, water, and air, that have visible data, etc., as their respective qualities” (Vism-mhṭ 445).

пали	Athāpi vadeyyuṃ "yathā tesu tesu sambhāresu tassa tassa bhūtassa adhikatāya pathavīādīnaṃ sandhāraṇādīni kiccāni icchatha, evaṃ tejādiadhikesu sambhāresu rūpādīnaṃ adhikabhāvadassanato icchitabbametaṃ rūpādayo tesaṃ guṇā"ti.
Nyanamoli thera	44. Then they may say: “Just as you assume, from excess of some primary element in such and such material things, the [respective] functions of upholding (sandhāraṇa), etc., for earth, etc., so from finding visibility, etc., [respectively] in a state of excess19 in material things that have fire in excess, one may assume that visible data, etc., are [respectively] qualities of these.”