ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 02

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

Page 96

containing just knowledge are the important sources for understanding the Jain theory of knowledge.
Discussions of Knowledge (jñāna) in Jainism Knowledge is an attribute of the soul. In fact knowledge is said to be the nature of the soul as it is found only associated with the soul. In empirical soul, it decreases or increases as per the thickness of karmic veil on it.
Let us look at the example of moon to understand the Jaina concept of knowledge and soul concomitance: We see full bright moon on the full moon night called Purnimā. After that night we start seeing moon gradually becoming less visible due to its being obscured by the relevant position of sun/earth and moon itself as well as other obstructions like clouds, trees, hills etc, till on the no moon night called Amavasy, we do not see the moon at all. This cycle does not mean that the light/ shining attribute of moon has gone but it simply gets obscured by impediments stated above. So as an example only; soul can be taken like moon and its attribute knowledge like brightness or light emitted by the moon.
Pure soul is perfect knowledge. There is never a moment when even the empirical soul, be it in any destiny or state is without a trace of knowledge otherwise it will become by definition a non-soul. The states of imperfection and perfection, expressed by such terms as mati-jñāna and kevala-jñāna are in turn the modes of the attribute knowledge in partial or complete states. The empirical soul being defiled by knowledge obscuring karmas therefore needs certain media or external devices to acquire knowledge of others. Also there are limitations to its knowledge capabilities in terms of place, area, time or the substance type.
Knowledge as a system in Jain philosophy:
Object of knowledge
Black box
Result of knowledge / output
Consciousness, its manifestation
pramiti /result/just
What we want to know?
knowledge
(Prameya or jñeya)
(Pramātā /atma & pramāna)
STUDY NOTES version 5.0
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