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JAIN JOURNAL : Vol-XXXIV, No. 2 October 1999
Sensation, the first stage of mati, is also taken as the first step of comprehension of an object that follows in the wake of apprehension upon the contact of sense organ with the object. Speculation is the striving for a specific determination of the object cognised by sensation. Perception is the ascertainment of the specific features of the object cognised in the state of speculation. Retention is nothing but the absense of lapse of the perceptual judgement. It includes the formation of mental trace which serves as the cause of its recollection in future, that is, memory. 2. Śrutajñāna-Scriptural Knowledge
Śrutajñāna is meant as Scriptural knowledge as well as Verbal knowledge. It is apprehended with mati as its cause. 36 Scriptures or the preaching of trustworthy persons are only accounted as Śrutajñāna. Scriptures have all types of knowledge, so that it has the ability to know all the objects of the world. But this cognition is indirect and has the ability to know only to perceive them. Of course, the Scriptures have laid all types of knowledge, but they are not preceded by sensation or acquisition.
3. Avadhijñāna-Clairvoyance
Avadhijñāna is a direct knowledge of the objects having rūpa (form). Rüpa is the technics terminus and is meant for those things which have shape, colour, taste etc. It is the supernatural power of a self and varies in scope and durability with different persons owing to the difference of karmic strength. It is of two types37-i) Bhavapryatyaya and ii) Kșayopasamapratyaya or Guņapratyaya. The former is caused by birthright, but the latter is acquired by the destruction-cumsubsidence of the relevant karmic veil. Denizens of heaven and hell possess avadhijñāna as their birthright, at the same time human and subhuman beings get it only occasionally as a result of special merit.
4. Manah-paryāyajñāna--Telepathy
Manaḥ-paryāya means the modes of mind which are made by atoms and are defined as different forms of thought. Thoughts are everchanging instincts of mankind and manifest on the face and other parts of the body. On that basis manahparyāyajñāni directly cognises other's thoughts.38 36. Visesavyasyakabhāsya, 80: Tattavartharajvartika, 1/13. 37. Tattavarthasūtra, 1/3. 38. Manodwidham-dravyamano bhāvamanasceti, 2/11/170/3
Sarvārthasiddhi.
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