Doctrine of Karman in Jain Philosophy

Author(s): Hiralal R Kapadia
Publisher: Vijibai Jivanlal Panalal Charity Fund Mumbai

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JAIN PHILOSOPHY
[CHAP.
The ackṣur-darśana is existent in all beings, the cakṣur-darśana in all who possess an organ of sight. The avadhi-darsana, the transcendental cognition of corporeal things, only exists innately in celestial and infernal beings, but can also arise in fully developed animals endowed with reason and in men, through kṣayopaśama. The kevaladarśana only occurs with kevalins, with men the darśanāvaraṇa-karmans of whom are completely annihilated.
There are 5 species of jñāna, namely:
1. mati-jñāna, the knowledge through the medium of the 5 senses and manas.
2. śruta-jñāna, the knowledge which is based on the interpretation of signs, the understanding of words, writings, gestures, etc.
3. avadhi-jñāna, the transcendental knowledge of corporeal things, occurring without the medium of organs.
4. manaḥparyāya-jñāna, the transcendental knowledge of the thoughts of others, occurring without the medium of organs.
5. kevala-jñāna, unlimited, absolute, direct omniscience.
The kevala-jñāna only exists in kevalins, the manaḥparyāya-jñāna only with men on a high spiritual plane, who have true belief. The 3 other species of knowledge can occur however the avadhi-jñāna with similar limitations as the corresponding darśana-in all beings endowed with reason, even in unbelievers. But as knowledge is bad (kutsita) as long as it is not supported by the true belief, because the unbeliever "conceives things existing and non-existing without distinction and arbitrarily, the jñana of the mithyādṛṣṭi is called “a-jñāna” “bad knowledge, ignorance." Thus to the foregoing 5 species of knowledge three more must still be added, namely the ajñānas of the above-mentioned 3 species of knowledge (mati-, śruta-, avadhi-ajñāna). All jivas have therefore ajñāna until they have reached the true belief, but jñāna from the moment of the attainment of samyaktva.1 Beings whose belief consists of true and false elements, have partly jñāna, partly ajñāna.
In worldly souls occur 1 to 4 of the 8 species of knowledge and 1 to 3 of the species of undifferentiated cognition. The kevalins, however, have only kevala-jñāna and kevala-darśana, be it, because in these two, already all species of knowledge and undifferentiated cognition are implicitly existing-as in the ownership of a village the possession of its ground and land is included (Kg. II 11 a)-or be it, because the absolute knowledge so outshines every kind of partial knowledge, that no longer attention is paid to them, as to the stars at sunrise (Lp. III 964).
1 sarvajivānām prathamam ajñānam paścāc ca samyaktva-labhe sati jñānam (Ps. 12).