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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History and Sources
and develops them in the Bhāṣya. It discusses all the problems on the basis of Anekanta. There is no topic or sutra, except a few, which does not contain the Vārtika 'Anekānta' meaning that the problem can be solved through Anekānta.
Rajavārtika, as we have already mentioned, is an encyclopeadia of Jainism. Its method of dealing with the subject is logical. It does not propound anything on the basis of mere faith. Its first and fifth chapters treat philosophical problems while the remaining portion is connected with the ethical, geographical and other conceptions prevelent in the Agamic school. Some topics are his special contributions; which are not found any where else. Its first chapter deals with the problems of epistemology, specially the sutras 9-13 and 20-22.
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(2) Aşṭasati: It is a commentary on Aptamimāmsā of Samantabhadra. The name Astaśati refers to its size being as big as 800 Anustubh metres. In his dealings with the philosophical topics Akalanka is very terse. His style is more suggestive than expressive. It suggests the central idea and leaves other things for speculation. Deep sense, few words and logical acumen are the specialities of his style and they are more distinct in Astaśatt. It is due to Vidyananda, that we are able to grasp it. Apart from the topics dealt within Aptamimāmsā i.e. the refutation of all absolutistic notions, AstaśatI throws light on many more points which were not discussed by Samantabhadra. Regarding the theory of knowledge also its contribution is very important. Akalanka discards the Buddhist notion of absolute rationalism, and at the same time the MImämsa notion of absolute dependence on the Vedas. He establishes the principle of omniscience as against the notion of Carvaka and Mimāmsā, and at the same time asserts that the propounders of non-absolutism only can be the omniscient and not Buddha or the preachers of other systems. In the first Kārikā he proves tarka (hypothesis) as an independent source of knowledge (pramāņa). The seventh karika criticizes Dharmakirti in his definition of Nigrahasthana. The thirteenth states
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