Jaina Epistemology

SR No.: 006738
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Indra Chandra Shastri
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1990
Total Pages: 516
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 21 MB

Page 47

Epistemology of Jainas
of Devardhi-Gaņin. They were devotes of their own literature and disregarded the non-Jaina literature as mithyāśruta.1 But as the time passed, they could not keep themselves aloof from the external influence. The main currents of the era clearly reflect in the works of that period. This state continued upto Siddhasena Divākara and Samantabhadra. As the time passed, the external influence got more and more momentum; till independent works on logic came into existence. We may call this period as the period of creative logic. The second period begins with Akalanka and lasts upto Hemacandra. It is the period of real logic. The third period is the contribution of a singular genious namely Yaśovijaya Upadhyāya. He introduced Navyanyāya in the field of Jaina logic and made it up to date. Below, we shall try to give a brief sketch of each period with its contribution to the Jaina logic.
The Creative Period :
We have mentioned above the certain logical conceptions as expressed by the Āgamas. The division of knowledge as stated by the Anuyogadvāra? is a clear influence of the logical period. The Niryuktis and Bhāsyas show a further development in this matter. They have adopted the logical style also. But, as far as the subject matter is concerned their treatment is predominantly Agamic. In the independent literature we see a gradual adoption of the logical subjects also; which have served later on as the basis of proper Jaina logic.
KUNDAKUNDA
Kundakuna (Ist cent.) defines pratyakşa3 and paroksa and enumerates the seven 4 categories of speech. Umāsvāti (4th cent.) gives four synonyms of mati which are interpreted
1. Nandi 41. 2. Anuyogadvāra 144. 3. Pravacanasāra I 54-58. 4. Ibid. II 23