Jaina Concept of Omniscience

SR No.: 001547
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Ramjee Singh
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1974
Total Pages: 258
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Knowledge
File Size: 17 MB

Page 78

DARSAN AND JŇANA
65
particulars while Jñana only with universals. There are scholars who hold the opposite view. To them darśana is knowledge of the Universals and Jñana, the knowledge of the Particulars basing their contention on Siddhasena Divākara's view (Sanmati Tarka, II. 25). Hence, when an omniscient has got darśana, he has not jñāna and, vice versa. Thus he will be always either a speaker of unknown things or else a speaker of unperceived things.66
3. Abhedavāda:
It is on account of the reasons stated above and some other logical difficulties which led to the rejection of both the views by Siddhasena Diväkara. He propounded the Theory of Identity of Darśana and Jñana in the state of omniscience. As a matter of fact, darśana and jñāna are not two different things functioning at one and the same time, but just one thing functioning at the same time. The rule is that these two cognitions-darśana and jñāna, do not occur at one and the same time, holds good only up to that kind of knowledge called manaḥaparyāya. In the case of Kevala Jñana, no such separation between darśana and jñana is necessary. They synchronise in Kevala Jñana, and they are one and the same.67
Siddhasena Divakara levels five charges against the earlier theories and anticipating their objections tries to reply to them. The advocates of Kramavāda try to defend their theory by saying that as in the case of the four kinds of knowledge (mati, śruta, avadhi and manaḥparyāya), a man perceives consecutively, it means also the same in the case of Kevala Jñana also. But Siddhasena points out that this is an analogical argument based on imperfect similarity. In fact, the omniscient cannot be said to be the possessor of fivefold knowledge. He is said to be omniscient etc. not merely
66 Ibid., II. 12-14.
67 Siddhasena Diväkara, Ibid., II. 3.
68 Siddhasena Diväkara, Sanmati Tarka, II. 15. JCO-9