 Here is the idea. Suppose an object a is R1-related to an object b which is distinct from a. Let us suppose that R1 is distinct from both a and b. If R1 is distinct from a and b, then R1 itself would somehow have to be related to a and b. But then we would have to posit another relation, R2, thus launching ourselves on an infinite regress. The only way to escape this regress would be to say that there is some relation Ri which is not distinct from its relata. But there is no reason to think that this relation isn’t R1 itself. So, for any relation R, we may conclude that it isn’t distinct from its relata. So, the aboutness relation (viṣaya-viṣayi-bhāva) that connects an object with its awareness also cannot be distinct from its relata. If the object is identical to the aboutness relation that connects it to its awareness, and the aboutness relation is identical to the awareness, then the object must also be identical to its awareness.