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Tattvartha Sutra
Pramāṇa: The general characteristic of pramāṇa (valid knowledge) has already been stated, which is that knowledge that understands multiple aspects of an object is pramāṇa. Its specific characteristic is as follows: knowledge that is produced solely by the potency of the self, without the assistance of the senses and the mind, is direct; and knowledge that is produced with the assistance of the senses and the mind is indirect.
Of the five mentioned above, the first, namely matijñāna (knowledge by mental perception) and śrutajñāna (knowledge by hearing), is called parokṣa (indirect) pramāṇa; because both arise with the help of the senses and the mind.
Avadhi (mental perception), manah-paryaya (psychic knowledge), and kevala (absolute knowledge) are all direct; because they arise solely by the potency of the self, without the help of the senses and the mind.
In the Nyāya Shāstra, the characteristics of direct and indirect are defined differently. In it, sense-based knowledge is termed direct, while knowledge derived from signs, purposes, and words, etc. is termed indirect. However, this classification is not accepted here. Here, knowledge that is entirely self-referential is recognized as direct, while knowledge that relies on the senses and the mind, excluding the self, is recognized as indirect. For this reason, the knowledge of matijñāna and śrutajñāna is to be understood as indirect, as it requires the senses and the mind. On the other hand, the three kinds of knowledge—avadhijñāna, etc.—are to be understood as direct, as they arise solely by the potency of the self, without the assistance of the senses and the mind.