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COMMON SENSE ELEMENTS IN JAIN PHILOSOPHY 75 common-sense view. W. Schubring remarks that Jainas' standpoint in this respect has been empirical. Actually Anekāntvāda and its offshoots are outcome of the commonsensical conviction of the Jainas that every human being equally rational can never claim absolute knowledge about an object over his fellow-thinkers.
Lastly, coming now to the theory of knowledge expounded by the Jainas we find five kinds of knowledge which are generally acknowledged and are commnplace. Mati-jñān is knowledge obtained through the operation of one's own sense-organs. Sruti-jñān is information derived from outside one's own self i.e. scriptures. Avadhi-jñān is super-sensory perception of particular material objects and physical occurances. Manahparyayjñān is perception of the thoughts of others and Keval-jñān is omniscience, the highest kind of knowledge which is accompanied by freedom from the karmas, obstructing knowledge. This last kind of knowledge is actually the logical culmination of the very system of philosophy developed by Jainas in which mithyadristi and its consequent bondage of Jiva was held to be the root of worldly existence and redemption lay in Keval-jñān (perfect knowledge).
Thus we find that Jainism solely motivated by the welfare of the common masses suggests a simple way of life, but attempts to superimpose a garb of high thinking upon it by metaphysical permutations and combinations.
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