Jain Journal 1998 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 25

JAIN : CONTRIBUTION OF THE JAINA LOGICIANS TO INDIAN EPISTEMOLOGY 23 in our daily life. For example : back part of a wall is inferred by perceiving front part of it.
It seems that the Jaina logicians have accepted these hetus, because of their corresponding nature in behaviour.
Regarding the member of parārthānumāna, the Jaina logicians have propounded that pakşa-vacana (the statement of the thesis) and hetu (probans) these two members are sufficient for an inference for others (parärthänumäna), but for the dull minded persons they have accepted five members also.
To conclude we can say that the Jaina logicians have contributed their mite to Indian epistemology in many ways. They discussed about every aspect of Indian epistemology and logic. It seems that they have a deep study of other systems also. It is noteworthy that they developed the epistemology regarding pramāņa upholding the canonical views, but they have given due significance to the empirical view also.
Hence the Jaina epistemological literature is of paramount importance for the understanding of the epistemological thinking of other systems also, because the Jaina philosophers have presented their opponents' views honestly and systematically.
The Jaina logicians have contributed their mite to epistemological doctrines which can be summed up as follows : A. They established the nature of pramāna illuminating itself and
the object. B. They cogently established recollection, recognition, and inductive
reasoning as independent pramāṇas. c. They are very precise in defining the hetu, but they have
elaborately conceived kinds and sub-kinds of hetus.
Their view of non-absolutism helped them in developing the epistemological doctrines and they formed many new technical terms such as: sāņuyavahārika pratyakşa, tiryak sāmānya, ürdhvatāsāmānya, saha-avinābhāva, krama-avinābhāva etc. They enrich the literature on Naya and Niksepa also which are mentioned in canons for understanding a proper meaning of a word.