Dravya Sangraha

Author(s): Nemichandramuni
Publisher: Chandraprabha Digambar Jain Mandir Trust

Page 18

The Sacred Book of the Jains
from words spoken by a person, from reading books, from seeing gestures of facial expressions and from all other kinds of symbols of signs Mati Jnana requires much detailed consideration; for it gives us an idea of that part of the Jaina psychology which treats of of Perception and Memory.
In Jaina psychology four stages in Mati Jnana are usually recognised. These are called (1) Avagraha, (2) Iha, (3) Avaya and (4) Dharana. In works on Jaina Nyaya philosophy we find that Pramana is of two kinds-Pratyaksha (independent) and Paroksha (dependent). Pratyaksha is clear knowledge or cognition that this object is of such and such a character, without depending upon any other kind of knowledge. That cognition, which is not clear by itself, i. e. that which depends upon some other kind of knowledge is Paroksha. Pratyaksha or independent knowledge is of two kinds. Sanvyava harika and Paramarthika. Sanvyavaharika again is of two kinds, viz., indriya-nivandhana (caused through the senses) and Anindriya-nivandhana (nor caused through the senses.) The senses recognised in Jaina philosophy are the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue and the skin. Mind (Mana) is called No-indriya or Anindriya (Not Indriya).
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This Sanvyavaharika variety of Pratyaksha is what we have in our every day life. The processes of Percep.ion and Memory are dependent upon this variety of Pratyaksha only. We shall, therefore, deal with Sanvyavaharika Pratyaksha leaving aside Parmyarthika Pratyaksha which includes the little understood occult knowledgeAvadhi, includes Manah-paryaya and Kevala mentioned previously.
Sanvyabahara is the act of satisfying o desire to cognize. (NA प्रवृत्ति निवृत्तिरूपो व्यवहार सव्वहारः Pramana Mimansa Vritti). This is the essence Sanvavharina Pratyaksha which, according to Jaina philosophers, is of four kinds, viz., Avagraha, Iha, Avaya and Dharana. These four are identical with the four stages or.Mati Jnana already mentioned by us, and we shall now proceeed to explain each of these Four varieties.
The first stage, Avagraha, consists in the general knowledge of an object when it is brought into contact with a sense organ. First of all, there is an excitation in the sense organ by the stimulus (viz., the object present in the outside world). Then there is an excitation in the consciousness. Thus, in the first stage a person is barely conscious of the existance of an object.
The second stage, Iha, consists in the desire to know the particular of the object e, g., a desire to know whether it is this or that.