Jain Theism

Author(s): Hemant Shah
Publisher: Hemant Shah

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Jain Theism
soul. The cognition is to the soul. Jainism maintains that our knowledge of things and of their relations starts from experience and reason can at best serve to organise it. In other words the fundamental source of knowledge is "direct acquaintance furnished by observation.''
"The Jains admit five kinds of knowledges Mati, Śruti, Avadhi, Manahparyaya and Kevala"? (1) “Mati is ordinary cognition, obtained by normal means of sense
perception.... (2) Śruti or testimony is knowledge derived through signs, symbols
or words... Avadhi is direct knowledge of things, even at a distance of time
or space. (4) Manaḥarpyāya is direct knowledge of the thoughts of others, as
in telepathic knowledge of others' minds. Keval or perfect knowledge comprehends all substances and their modifications,'?
The five kinds of knowledge, Jainas classify into 'Parokşa' i.e. mediate and 'Aparoksa' i.e. immediate. The mediate knowledge is further classified into Mati and Sruti and immediate knowledge into Avadhi, Manahparyāya and kevala.
Mati, includes remembrance (memory), recognition, induction based on observation and deductive reasoning. There are three kinds of Matijñāna viz' Upalabdhi' or perception, Bhāvanā' or memory, and Upayoga' or understanding."9 Matijñāna is knowledge by means of the senses and mind.
"Srutajñāna" is of four kinds : viz Labdhi or association, Bhāvanā or attention, Upayoga or understanding and Naya or aspects of the meanings of things”)0
About Kevalajñāna' Dr. Radhakrishnan writes : "It is omniscience unlimited by space, time or object. To the perfect consciousness the whole reality is obvious, This knowledge, which is independent of the senses, which can only be felt and not described, is possible only for the purified souls free from bondage.""!!
6. Satkari Mookerjee, The Jain Phi. of Non Absolutism (1978) p. 1 7. T.S. 1.9, Dr. S.Radhakrishnan, I.P. Vol. I-(1977) p. 293. 8. Dr. Radhakrishnan, I.P. Vo. I. (1977) p. 294, 295,
Umāsvāti's Tattvārtha Satras. 1. 29. 30. 9. Panchăstikaya Samayasāra- 42 10. Ibid., p. 43 11. Dr. Radhakrishnan, Indian Philosophy Vol. I (1977) IP. 295