ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 02

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 108

Since the subjects of the five sense organs are touch, taste, smell, sound and form; śrutajñāna can accordingly be classified as Akşara (i.e. which can be represented by words /syllables, signs etc) and Anakṣara (which cannot be so represented by alphabets, words, syllables, forms etc (e.g. smell, taste, touch etc.). Sanjñākṣara is the indicated meaning assigned to a syllable as per its form, size etc. as the same is always conveyed by that syllable. Vyañjanākṣara is the pronunciation or spoken form of syllables. Dhavalātalks of 64 syllables (33-consonants, 27- vowels, 4-auyogavaha for a total of 64). Their different permutations and combinations give words (padas), which are countless. Labdhyākṣara is the subsidence cum destruction of śrutajñānavarṇīya karmas and subsequent use of śrutajñāna. It is the facility by which mind and senses are able to cognize the syllables (akşara). Sanjñā and Vyañjana are both dravya-śruta while labdhyākṣara is bhāva-śruta. Labdhyākṣara is possessed by only those persons who are competent to learn alphabets / syllables and is possible through all the five senses. Anakşara, like inhaling, exhaling, thunder etc. is actual material scripture, are not written or spoken like syllable and is the cause of śrutajñāna. Living beings without mind i.e. with 1 to 4 senses and without mind have this type of śrutajñāna that originates without the use or effort of speech faculty.
The sanjñijñāna is considered in three ways; in as much as there are three varieties of Sanña (cognitional activities) namely:
i. Discursive thinking that takes in accounts the past, present and future (kāliki); ii. Consciousness that discriminates between what is to be avoided and what is to be
adopted for life but cannot think of past and future (hetupadeśiki) iii. Consciousness due to the knowledge of right scriptures. (drșțivādopadeśiki)
Sańjñā in agamas mean the mental faculty of living beings (instincts) enabling their owner to decide the involvement in good and leaving the bad. Every living being has ten instincts like instincts for hunger, fear, sex, attraction, possessions etc. Nandīsūtra uses kāliki and no-indri interchangeably for mind. It is said to be the highest level of mental faculty and assigns six activities for it namely Thā (discrimination), apoha (exclusion), vimaría (enquiry), mārgaņā (searching), gaveşaņā (fathoming) and cintā (discursive thought). Hetupdeśikī is the lower level of Sanjñā and is generally concerning present tense only. Living beings with it are generally using the faculty to accept right food and avoid wrong acts/ foods. Dışțivādopadeśikī is based on attitude and / or vision. According to this, the person who has the right attitude (samyak-dịşti) is Sanjñi and a person with wrong attitude is asanjñi. This
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