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
the external object. Regarding the object, the Sankhya holds that transcendental intelligence, i. e. purusa, is consciousness without any object. It is pure irtelligence, me, e awareness or sentience. The discursive knowledge, i.e. the mode of buddhi also does not have the thing in itself as its object. It apprehends the reflection only. The existence of thing in itself is a matter of inference 2 Regarding self cognition the Sankhya goes with the Nyāya and holds that the same cognition cannot cognise itself. It requires another mode of buddhi where it reflects and then apprehended. 3
The Mimāņsaka goes very near to the Jaina conception of soul. The only fundamental diference between the two systems is that Mimāṁsā holds soul as all-pervasive. 4 According to Jainism it is coextensive with the body it occupies. According to the Mimāmsā, knowledge is a mode of the soul.5 The function of knowledge is to generate the quality of manifestedness (jñātatā) in the object. Regarding the subject matter of knowledge the Prabhākara school of Mimāmā agrees with the Jaina. He also believes in the self-luminosity of the cognition.? But Kumārila contends that all knowledge is beyond perception. It is inferred through the quality of manifestedness which is generated in the object.8
According to Sankara, there are two types of knowledge, transcendental and discursive. The transcendental knowledge is the soul itself, which is otherwise known as Brahman. It is Pure Intelligence, Pure Existence and Pure Bliss It is free from the
1. Yogadarśana, 11. 20; Outline Iod. Phil. p. 279 2. Outline of Indian Philosophy p. 283 3. Ibid., 4. Ibid., 303 5. Ibid. 6. Ibid. 7. Prakaranapañcikā p. 63 8. Bhättacintamani p. 15