Introduction to Jaina Sadhna

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 46

The Path of Liberation : 39
ness of attitude or view-point. Right knowledge has been regarded as one of the means to liberation. In Jainism right knowledge has been defined in various ways. Generally speaking, right knowledge is the knowledge of seven principles --- jiva (living substance), ajiva ( non-living substance ), āsrava ( influx of kārmic matter ), samvara ( stoppage of the influx of kārmic matter), bandha (bondage), nirjarā (shedding of the accumulated karmic matter ) and mokşa ( liberation ). It consists in knowing the things in all their infinite facets. According to Jaina philosophy, one-sided knowledge or a biased view-point is false as it ignores the infinite aspects of things. So long as one has one-sided view (ekāntika drsti ) or a biased view (āgraha ) right knowledge is not possible. In the absence of an integral-view right knowledge is out of the question. Thus, unbiased attitude is also the pre-condition of right knowledge. In order to know the infinite aspects of reality, a many pronged approach is a sine-qua non of right knowledge. The one-sided view-point or a biased enquiry tinges the truth. Hence one-sidedness, extremism and biasness hinder the realisation of truth. The Jaina philosophy enjoins that personal prejudices must be discarded and an impartial attitude should be cultivated. Only the integral and synthetic approach can give us a full vision of reality, which is the right knowledge. Right knowledge is the knowledge of a thing in all its infinite facets and it is possible only through gestalt view (samagra-drsti ).
Alternatively, Jainism also holds that right knowledge consists in discrimination between self and not-self. It is true that the self, the knower, cannot be made the object of knowledge. It is not possible to know the self on the basis of knowerknown relationship. The self is the knower and the knower can never become an object of knowledge. This makes knowledge of self unique. But the knowledge of not-self is possible through