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
that Svalakṣaṇa as held by the Buddhist is not absolutely devoid of connotation. In the commentary on thirty sixth Kārikā he defines pramāna as the uncontradicted consciousness apprehending a new object i.e. not cognised before. The 101th Kārikā defines pramāņa as the cognition of reality and recognizes simultaneity of jñāna and darśana in the case of omniscient.
The above mentioned two works are commentaries. But they are more important than any original work on Jaina philosophy. They are widely read in the Jaina institutions.
All the independent works of Akalanka are devoted to epistemology and logic. This has made him the father of Jaina logic. These works, though small in size, are pregnant with subtle thought. The influence of Dharmakirti is quite distinct in these works.
(1) Laghiyastraya : It is a composite work containing three small treatises (prakaranas) viz. (i) Pramāņa-prayeśa (ii) Nayapraveśra and (iii) Prayacana.praveśa. The first book consists of four chapters, the second of one and the third of two. In all, there are seven chapters. There is a small commentary (vivști) on them by Akalarka himself. It is in the form of notes, some times adding altogether new things to the original. (1) Pramāņa praveśa contains four chapters (i) Nature of Pramāņa, (ii) classification, (iii) object and the (iv) result, Napa.praveśa is devoted to the description of Nayas, Pravacana praveśa, though begins with the definition of pramāņa, naya and niksepa; deals mainly with Śruta jñāna; its divisions and subdivisions. Laghiyastraya has a big commentary known as Nyāyakumudacandra by Prabhācandra.
(2) Nyāya Viniscaya : Nyāya Viniscaya is exclusively devoted to logic. It appears that Akalanka has arranged it in the style of Pramāna Viniscaya by Dharmakirti. It has three chapters of perception, Inference and Authority res. pectively. Like Laghlyastraya it also contains a small commen