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 80

The General Conception of Knowledge 55 of a samyagdęsti (the person with right view-point) whether it is logically correct or incorrect is always samyagjñāna. Similarly, the cognition of a mithyādssti (the person with wrong attitude) is always ajñāna or mithyājñāna. The division of 'Nani' and
Annäņi' in the Bhagavati? and the subsequent Agamic literature is based on the condition of the self being Samyagdrsti or Mithyādrsti.
It is held that the cognition of a Mithyādssti is no more useful to the attainment of liberation and therefore useless. It does not serve the purpose of knowledge, and therefore, it is no more knowledge.2 On the contrary, the cognition of samyagdrsti, who is a true aspirant, is always useful for the above purpose; and therefore, it is jñāna or samyagjñāna. The Agamic literature is dominated with this pragmatic attitude.
Clarification of Some Terms
Before, we proceed further, it is necessary to have clear idea of certain technical terms related to the subject. There is a number of terms in the Agamic literature which express a sense quite different from the one expressed in the logical period or in non-Jaina systems. Below we give a few of such terms:
1. U payoga : It is a general term comprehending all activity related with consciousness. Literally, it means application, attention or coordination of the subject and the object. It is the application of the faculty of knowing possessed by the soul. It is attention of the soul when the latter knows an object, coordination also carries the same sense. Here, we use the term cognition for upayoga. It is divided into Nirākāra Upayoga or darśana (inarticulate cognition) and Sākāra upayoga or Jñana (articulate cognition).
1. Bhagavati 8.2.81 2. (Sukhlal), Tattvārthasūtra 1.38 3. Tattvāthabhāsyatıkā II 8.