Comparative Study of Indian Science

Author(s): Harisatya Bhattacharya
Publisher: C S Mallinath

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'Paroksha' is stated to be one of degree only. Vadi-deva says :-“The Pramana is of two kinds Direct and Indirect" (1) "The Direct one is clear " (2) "Clearness consists in revealing the particular aspects of things (under observation) in a greater degree than what is done by Inference etc." (3) Second Chapter. "Indirect Knowledge is not so clear" (1)-Third Chapter. Pramana-naya-tattoalokalamkara.
It comes to this then that according to the Jaina, an idea is nothing but a fainter form of a Percept. This Perceptual theory of Ideation, if we be permitted to call it so, has had illustrious supporters in the history of European psychology also. The older writers, as a rule, use Perception as a synonym for cognition in general. Locke does not only call Perception an Idea but he himself has no objection to identify thinking' with Perception. Hobbes also defines Imagination (by which he means Ideation) as “_nothing but decaying sense." He is followed by Hume who regards memory and imagination as "the faculty by which we repeat our impressions." Wundt also applies the term 'Vorstellung' both to Perception and to Idea. The identification of Ideation with Perception is almost complete and unambiguous in Titchener when he says.--"Perceptions and Ideas are both alike, groups of sensations."