teṣāṃ dhvanīnāṃ yadyapyanityatvam, tathāpi gavāśvādijātivadyāvadvarṇaṃ yāvanto varṇās tāvatyo jātayaḥ santi, tā eva vyaktisahāyinyaḥ śabdābhivyaktihetavo bhavanti /
Although those sounds are non-eternal, nevertheless, like the jātis ['universals'] of cow, horse etc., there are as many jātis as there are letters, [and] those very [jātis], assisted by particulars, become causes for the manifestation of words.