________________
Knowledge In Jainism : An Overview
Knowledge is a key of upliftment of our present life, development of values and salvation from sufferings. Hence, in the Upanişads two kinds of knowledge (vidyā) are propounded as parāvidyā and aparā vidyā (Mundakopanişad 1.1.4-5). Aparā vidya is a kind of knowledge which is earned and useful for elevation and success of a human being in his empirical life, where as parāvidyā is a knowledge which is intuitively emerged and manifested in a soul by which ultimate truth is achieved and spiritual upliftment is experienced. This parāvidyā is solicited for liberation from sufferings and sorrows forever. Both of these are also useful for generating human values. Parāvidya generates eternal values whereas aparāvidya can generate contexctual values.
Vaiseșika philosophy discusses about vidyā and avidyā'. Avidyā is of four kinds’ as - doubt (samsaya), perverted knowledge (viparyaya), unditermined (anadhyavasāya) and dream (svapna) and vidyā is also of four types as 1. Perception (pratyakşa) 2. Inference (anumānal Laingika), 3. Recollection (smsti) and testimony (ārşa/śābda). Vaiśeşikas mention vidyā as a quality (guņa) which remains in a soul with relation of inherence. 'Iśāvāsyopanişad(11) also mentions these two:
vidyām cāvidyām ca yastad vedobhayam saha.
avidyayā mrtyum tirtvā vidyayāmstamaśnute. Prasastapādabhāsya, gunavaidhaīmya prakarana (In Vyomavatī, vol.2 p.115): tatrāvidyā caturvidhā samsaya-viparyayānadhyavasāya-svapnalaksaņā. Ibid.: Vidyāpi caturvidhā, pratyakşa-laingika-smrtyārşalakşaņā. (In Vyomavati, vol. 2, p. 137)
