Basic Principles Of Jainism

Author(s): Narayan Lal Kachhara
Publisher: Narayan Lal Kachhara

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Vipulamati is purer than rijumati with regard to the object (subject matter), space, time, nature and condition.
The difference between telepathy land clairvoyance is with regard to purity, space, knower and objects. Telepathy is purer than clairvoyance with regard to all the aforesaid matters. Telepathy arises in the case of ascetics who are possessed of high conduct and who have progressed from the seventh stage of perfection of vows to the twelfth stage of destroyed delusion (this refers to Gunasthana described in chapter 10). Even among the ascetics, it arises only in those who advance spiritually higher and higher. Clairvoyance can be possessed by Devas, infernal beings, human beings and animals. The difference between the two is based on the distinctions between the possessors.
It may be mentioned that in the West also the phenomena of extra-sensory perception like clairvoyance, telepathy, precognition and mediumship have been accepted as facts by psychologists like McDougall. Prof. H.H. Price says that evidence for clairvoyance and telepathy is 'abundant and good' Dr. Rhine has done good work on extra- sensory perception. He says that extra-sensory perception in the form of clairvoyance and telepathy is an actual fact and demonstrable occurrence. It is not a sensory phenomenon.
Kavala jnana is omniscience. A soul in its pure state can comprehend all substances in all forms or modes. Umasvami has stated that omniscience extends to all substances and all their modes simultaneously. Everything comes within the purview of omniscience. The various kinds of jnana enumerated and discussed so far point out to the fact that this kind of jnana is progressive development of knowledge. Omniscience is the final point which is reached by knowledge when it is free from all kinds of Karmic veils or veils of ghati karma. The perception of an omniscient self is not produced by the sense organs, and hence it can know super sensory objects. It is not produced in succession but simultaneously and hence it cognizes all the objects of the universe at one and the same time since it is beyond the limitations of space and time. The omniscient self is pure and perfect and hence, it cannot be tainted by the imperfections of sensory and mental conditions. The past and future are perceived by the omniscient not as present, but as past and future. Hence no question of illusion arises. The omniscient knows the past existing in the past and the future as existing in the future.
False knowledge or perverted knowledge is of three kinds: Ajnana of Mati, Sruta and Avadhi. Wrong knowledge is the result of wrong approach, attitude or discrimination. Wrong knowledge is caused owing to wrong belief. The sense of discrimination is necessary for right knowledge. Want of clarity in thinking is also responsible for wrong knowledge. Owing to wrong beliefs wrong qualities are attributed to things and the expression of views is bound to be more imaginary than real. One or more of these factors are responsible for wrong sensory knowledge, wrong scriptural knowledge and erroneous clairvoyance.
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