________________
Tattvärthasūtra
ascertained from the Scripture and by inference. First, from the Scripture: "The sense-organ of hearing apprehends sound that comes in contact, the sense-organ of sight apprehends form (colour) that does not come in contact. The sense-organs of smell, taste and touch apprehend smell, taste and touch, respectively, which come in contact.' By inference: the sense-organ of sight operates without contact for it does not apprehend the object that is in contact. This is clear from the fact that it does not perceive the collyrium applied to the eye. Unlike the sense-organ of touch, it does not perceive it. Thus, both the eyes and the mind operate without contact.
It is clear, therefore, that indistinct impression (vyańjanāvagraha) is possible in case of all senses except the sense of sight and the mind. Distinct impression (arthavagraha) obtains in case of all the senses and the mind.
Sensory knowledge (matijñāna) has been described with its marks and divisions. Now it is time to define scriptural knowledge (śrutajñāna) with its marks and divisions.
श्रुतं मतिपूर्वं द्व्यनेकद्वादशभेदम् ॥२०॥
[ श्रुतम् ] श्रुतज्ञान [ मतिपूर्वं ] मतिज्ञानपूर्वक होता है अर्थात् मतिज्ञान के बाद होता है। वह श्रुतज्ञान [ द्व्यनेकद्वादशभेदम् ] दो प्रकार का, अनेक प्रकार का और बारह प्रकार का है।
Scriptural knowledge (śrutajñāna) is preceded by sensory knowledge (matijñāna). It is of two kinds, many kinds, and twelve kinds.
Though the word 'śruta' is derived from 'hearing', by traditional usage, it points to a particular kind of knowledge. For instance, the
34
