yadi tarhi nirviṣayam api vijñānam asti tat kathaṃ jñānam iti vyapadiśyate tathā hi vijānātīti vijñānam iti gīyate, asati ca vijñeye kiṃ vijñānaṃ
"If then there exists cognition even without an object, how is it called 'cognition'? For 'cognition' is said to be that which cognizes [something], and when there is nothing to be cognized, what would the cognition be?"