Jain Journal 2002 07

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

Page 19

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Dr. Rajjan Kumar : Avadhijnana: The Supersensuous Knowledge mūrtika. It is supposed that formless dravyas are not the object of Avadhi. It is only rūpin contents of space and time that are known as Avadhi.
Avadhijñāna is called avadhi because its sphere of apprehension is limited in context of dravya (substance), kṣetra (space), kāla (time), and bhāva (modes)3. It means avadhijñāna is known as limited knowledge restricted by space, time etc. In Jainism it is also taken as a simajñāna, limited knowledge. According to Ācārya Akalańka, avadhijñāna has some maryādā (limitations), and that limitations are concerned with dravya, kṣetra, kāla and bhāva.4
Like avadhijñāna, clairvoyance and clairandience are amusing concepts of modern psychology. The retainer of that potency is able to perceive or hear the distant objects. They are taken as extra sensory perception or atindriyajñana. According to Jainism all congnitions related with avadhi are apprehended by soul directly. Senses do not play any part in them, because avadhi is a direct knowledge, and direct knowledge is a direct action of soul not its aid like senses etc.
Avadhijñāna: acquired or innate
Jainas subdivided mundane soul in 4 categories according to their developed stages. 1. Naraka (Hellish), 2. Tiryañca (Subhuman), 3. Manusya (Human) and 4. Deva (Superhuman). Out of the above four gatis Naraka and Deva are the denizens of heaven and hell. They have avadhijñāna as their birthright and is known as bhavapratyaya (due to birth). It is supposed that the inhabitants of hell and heaven are endowed with avadhi by their very birth and due to that their avadhi is called bhava-pratyaya. The two words of bhava-pratyaya is 'bhava' and 'pratyaya' which mean birth and knowledge respectively.7.
Two other kingdom of men and animals have not avadhijñāna as birthright. They only acquire that very knowledge is a result of a special merit. Acquisition of avadhijñāna by human being and sometimes by higher animals and birds is called kṣayopasamanimitta or guṇapratyaya. Kṣayopasama and gunaprayaya both are technicus terminus and have the meaning as destruction-cum-subsidence and acquired merit respectively. In both the process, the selves have to adopt different kinds of exercises, then they acquired avadhijñāna.