Jainism as Metaphilosophy

SR No.: 001194
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: S Gopalan
Publisher: Satguru Publications Delhi
Publication Year: 1991
Total Pages: 92
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Philosophy
File Size: 5 MB

Page 31

Jainism As Metaphilosophy
21
sense-organs or the mind (as is indicated by the three other pramāṇas) would point to the Jaina view that the perceptual mode as well as the logical mood will have to be transcended. As a knowledge of the whole of Reality is said to be attainablc only by such a transcendence of the perccptual and inferential methods, it is suggested that ordinary methods of knowledge are not cfficacious to 'know' Reality.
What is the purpose of philosophising? 42 The acceptance of the limitations of the knowing process when it solely relies upon the sense-organs and the mind would suggest indirectly that the purpose of philosophising cannot be confined to the empirical processes of perception and analysing the knowledge so received. Notwithstanding the worthwhileness of the logical procedures which enable one to go beyond what is actually given to the sensc-organs, it cannot be gainsaid that the very complex nature of Reality imposes limitations even on the reasoning sacully.
It would also suggest that “gaining knowledge of Reality” (the aim of philosophy) would not be possible only through intellectual comprehension of the complex texture of Reality in so far as intellection refers verily to the functioning of the sense-organs and the mind. Whether through gaining a perceptual basc or through crccuing a superstructure with the help of logic, the cognitive mode of gaining a knowledge of Reality is scen indeed to be limited in scope. And this perhaps impels man to go beyond the limitations imposed and transcend the empirical realms of the knowing process itself.
Once again the reasoning process comes in handy. For, with its help a transcendental state of knowing is visualised. Since the passage of thought generally is from thc known to the unknown, and since what is known is recognised to be 'limited', what is yet to be known is inferred as 'unlimited'. 'The transcendental state of knowing' mentioned just now refers to the ascent of knowledge to the hitherto unknown regions. Also, since the limited knowledge gained thusfar is recognised as being due to the working of the sense-organs and the mind, it occurs to the questing mind that the limitations can be hoped to be overcome only by 'going beyond'. The idea derived is that the sense-organs and the mind are positive obstructions in the path of gaining complete understanding,. in reaching out to a fuller knowledge of Rcality.