Introduction to Jaina Sadhna

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 49

42: An Introduction to Jaina Sādhanā
ledge of thought-activity or mental modes of the other beings. According to Jaina philosophy, mind is made up of manovarganā-pudgala, i.e., finer type of atoms, and every mode of thought is reflected in the mind-substance (mano-dravya ). Manaḥ-paryayajñāna is a direct experience of such modes of mind-substance working in other individual's minds. It is akin to the modern concept of telepathy. It is obtained when soul is extraordinarily purified through a high order of conduct and only the human beings can obtain it. 5. Kevalajñāna
It is the perfect knowledge. It is also known as omniscience, because it intuits all the substances with all their modes of the past, present and future. When the veil of four destructive karma is completely removed, omniscience dawns. In omniscience there is nothing to be known and nothing remains unknown. But Ācārya Kundakunda gives some what different interpretation of Kevalajñāna. He says it is only from the practical view that the Kevali knows all the substances with all their modes; from the real point of view the kevali knows his ownself ( Niyama-sāra, 158). Thus, the Kevalajñāna is the knowledge of one's own self.
Among the above mentioned five types of knowledge the first three may be right or may be wrong. Their rightness or wrongness depends on the rightness or wrongness of the attitude, vision or faith of the knower; but the last two are exclusively modes of right knowledge. In Mülācāra (5.70-71) Acārya Vattakera has laid down some criteria for determining the rightness or wrongness of knowledge. He says -
Jena taccam vibujjhejja jeņa cittań nirujjhadi Jena attā visujjhejja tas nāņam jiņasāsaņe. Jeņa rāga virajjejja jeņa seesu rajjadi Jena mitti pabhavejja tas ņāņam jiņasāsane.