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

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Epistemology of Jainas
meanings, is sufficient to make the knowledge a mithyājñāna The metaphysical perversion can be further analysed into kāraṇaviparyasa etc.
Four bases for calling the knowledge of Mithyadṛsti as Ajñāna Jinabhadra1 relates the following four reasons in calling the knowledge of a mitbyadṛsti as ajñāna.
1. Sadasatoravišesa (Indiscrimination between sat and asat). A mithy adṛsti takes up everything in the absolutistic way while the reality consists of nonabsolutism. Thus, he is not able to ascertain what is sat, and what is not. This is a mithyajñana in the realm of metaphysics.
2. Bhavahetu (The cause of bondage)-Knowledge of a mithyadrsti leads him to entanglement in the worldly affairs. He takes those very acts as the cause of liberation as increase the cycle of births and deaths. This point relates to the field of ethics.
3. Yadṛcchopalambha-Irrationality in judgement. This point relates to the field of logic.
4. Jñanaphalabhāva (nonattainment of the fruit of knowledge) The purpose of knowledge is to accept what is beneficial and to abandon what is harmful. A mithyadṛṣṭi does not get this efficiency. He adopts the harmful way to bondage which deserves abandonment. On the other hand he rejects the blessed way to emancipation, which is worthy of following.. This is a pragmatistic explanation.
The Objective view of Vidyananda
Vidyananda takes the objective view in deciding the problem of mithyajñāna and includes all the three varieties of samsaya (doubt), viparyaya (illusion) and anadhyavasaya (indistinct appearance) in viparyaya. He states that the first three types of jñāna can occur in the form of illusion also with its abovementioned three types. In mati and śruta all the three types.
1. Viseṣāvaśyaka Bhāṣya G. 15