Scientific Contents in Prakrta Canons

SR No.: 001670
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1996
Total Pages: 608
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Science, & Religion
File Size: 9 MB

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32: Scientific Contents in Prākrta Canons
bhadra supports this definition and calls the Apta as sermoniser of Āgamas. However, if the sermoniser is not the Attained as qualified above, the knowledge could be attained by reasoning!4.
Perchance, Siddhasena Divākara was the first Jaina scholar who led us to the age of logic. He clearly mentioned that authentic knowledge could be obtained from two sources - ( a ) direct observations, inference, reasoning, etc. and (b) scriptures or āgamas. Jinabhadra has elaborated this by saying that ordinary cognition is obtained by determinate perception and scriptures which are jñānas ( knowledges ) rather than pramānas (organs of knowledge). This opinion is held despite the fact that Umāsvāti spoke of equivalence or synonymity of both these terms much earlier. He included the different pramāṇas of various Indian philosophical systems under sensory knowledge1s. However, it was left to Akalanka who quotes the 'Attained as a consistent and non-deceitful one while describing about the objects16. The definition seems a better generalised form than the omniscientific view of the Snuta. Thus, consistency and specialised knowledge became the characteristic of the 'Attained'. This way, a consistent scientist or scholar of even today may be called as Attained, in the age of logic. The definition of Sruta, therefore, got more generalised than the canonical age. It became more realistic and practical. To satisfy intellectuals, he called Sruta as authentic organ of knowledge gained through three sources (a) direct observations, (b) intellectual reasoning associated with 'a' and (c) scriptures. The three sources were reduced to two 'a+b' and 'C' by the author of Rājavārtika. And thus, we have two types of authenticated and theoretical Sruta based on different sources.
There are quite a nurnber of subjects whose knowledge could be authenticated by 'a+b' while there may be many subjects — say spiritual and religious where these methods cannot be applied which can be learnt through the authenticated scriptures, composed by the canonically defined 'Attaineds'. Thus, scriptures, canons or āgamas become important part of