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peculiar to Jaina thought. We may assert with certainly that wherever this Jaina concept of life is introduced, the author of the work must be & Jaina in faith for the simple reason that it is found nowhere outside Jainism as previously mentioned.
Here it is interesting to note that the existence of microsco pio organisms was also known to Jaina thinkers. Microscopic organisms, techmically called Sukşma Ekəndriya Jivas or minute organisms with the sense of Touch alone are assumed to exist all over the world. They may abide in the earth, water, air, and so on; and according to their abode they are classified as the microscopic organisms living in earth, air or water. These microscopic organisms are not perceptible to the ordinary senses though their existence is known by their function and activity. The doctrine of Ahimsā implies non-injury to these microscopio organisms also but the injunction not to injure these is binding only on the ascetio or the yatis, because a house-holder cannot carry out strictly the doctrine of a higher Ahimsā with reference to thebo microsoopic organisms.
Varleties of Knowledge. Next we shall consider the psychological concepts of Jainism, Without entering into details, we may mention here the classification of knowledge and the knowing process recognized by Jaina thinkers. The knowing processes are divided into five distinct stages. Beside the ordinary sense-perception and the knowledge through books, Jaina thinkers recognise three other processes of cognition The two former are called Mati-jölāna and Srutajfāna, knowledge by sepse-perception and knowledge by study of books. The latter three are called Avadhi Jhāna, Manab paryāya Jäāna and Kèvala Jitāna.
Avadhi Jhāna implies a sort of clairvoyant perception of distant objects and events. This is distinctly an extra-perceptional cognition, in as much as it is not obtained through sense-perception. In recent psychic researches, psychologists have been able
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| SR No. | 008001 |
| Book Title | Shraman Bhagvana Mahavira Part 1 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Ratnaprabhvijay, D P Thaker |
| Publisher | Parimal Publication |
| Publication Year | 1989 |
| Total Pages | 650 |
| Language | English, Sanskrit |
| Classification | Book_English, Biography, History, & Religion |
| File Size | 15 MB |