Page Text
________________
Knowledge is of one type only. However, for the sake of explaining and its systematic investigation ranging from the most imperfect knowledge of one sensed jīva to the perfect knowledge of five sensed omniscient, right knowledge or samyak-jñāna had been classified as of five types of knowledge in the canonical literature:
• Mati or mind based or sensory perception: includes sense perception, memory (smrti),
recognition (sañjñā), hypothetical reasoning (cintā), and inference (anumāna). Śruta or verbal testimony: knowledge generated by words Avadhi or clairvoyance or knowledge with limits: avadhi cognizes distant (temporally and
spatially) physical objects Manaḥparyaya or telepathy or knowledge of mental modes i.e. which perceives directly the modes of other person's mind and hence the thoughts and their objects
Kevala or omniscience
The last three are supra empirical and are generated by special type of meditation and spiritual purification while the first two are empirical knowledge only and acquired through sense organs and mind. Further they maintained that the first three jñānas may be true (samyak) or wrong (mithyā) depending on the state of knower as having samyak-darśana or not. Samyak-darśana was defined as the tendency or attitude that was conducive to spiritual progress. Thus knowledge being valid or not was dependent on spiritual progress and not on logic. This is the first phase of knowledge development in Jain canonical literature.
Matijñāna-Sensuous Perception or Mind Based Knowledge Sensuous perception is defined as the knowledge acquired through the aid of the five senses and mind. This originates with intuition followed by the four steps namely:
Out linear-grasp; avagraha or awareness of some existence Discrimination; īnā, a desire to know whether it is THIS or THAT
Perceptual judgment; avāya is ascertainment of the right and exclusion of the wrong
Retention of judgment; dhāraņā
There is a rule concerning complete cycle of the four steps indicated. Sometimes 1, 2 or even first three steps can occur and then forgotten. These four steps result with the aid of
Pravacanasāra by Kundakunda V. 15
STUDY NOTES version 5.0
Page 87 of 385
| SR No. | 007712 |
| Book Title | ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 02 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | International School for Jain Studies |
| Publisher | International School for Jain Studies |
| Publication Year | 2012 |
| Total Pages | 404 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 13 MB |