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RATNATRAYA OR THE THREE JEWELS
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Right Faith or insight is the stepping stone to right knowledge. That is why all Jaina thinkers have insisted upon elimination of wrong belief from the mind. Mithyātva reminds one some what of the ignorance (avidyā) of the Vedānta, the want of discrimination (aviveka) of the Sāmkhya, and the illusion (mäyā) of the Buddhist systems of philosophy. Jainism insists that right knowledge cannot be attained unless wrong knowledge is banished. 17
While dealing with the subject of Jiva or the concept of soul, we have dealt with the kinds of knowledge from the practical point of view. Knowledge is either syabhāva jñāna (natural knowledge) and vibhāva jñāna (non-natural).18 The former is perfect and is not assisted by any external agency in its acquisition. Due to the operation of the knowledge-obscuring Karmas, natural knowledge does not fucntion in all poeple; knowledge derived from other sources would be therefore non-natural (vibhāva). Vibhāva jñāna is of two kinds : it may be right knowledge or wrong knowledge. There are thus eight kinds of knowledge about which something has already been said.
When considered with reference to its means of acquisition, knowledge is of five kinds as already explained in chapter II. Knowledge which is acquired through any of the five senses or the mind is mati-jñāna, while that which is acquired through the scriptures is śruta-jñāna. While the first kind of knowledge is limited to things and matters in existence, the other might comprehend all matters of the present, past and future as expounded in the scriptures. Avadhi jñāna is knowledge of the remote past. It can be acquired by saints who have attained purity of thought and developped their mental capacity by austerities. It is otherwise possessed by the celestial and infernal souls. The fourth kind, manahparyāya-jñāna is knowledge about the thoughts of others; it can be acquired by those who have gained selfmastery. The last is kevala-jñāna which dawns on the Tirthankaras, or perfect souls.
What is necessary for and relevant to the point at issue is the vital importance of Right Knowledge in the scheme of the path of
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