Jaina Concept of Omniscience

Author(s): Ramjee Singh
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 28

THE MEANING OF OMNISCIENCE
their important characteristics, and not of each and everything in their numerical details. But it may be asked, unless all the objects with all their attributes are known, how can the distinction between the essential and the non-essential be made ? Even if it be scmehow possible, some of the old difficulties will reappear. I propose to discuss them alsewhere. Presently, I shall give an exposition of omniscience understood in the sense mentioned above.
In the history of the Indian thought, I find that some who believe, on some grounds or other, in the possibility of omniscience take it to mean by it the knowledge of all reality or duty (ułat we cuķht to do) or of both reality and duty. These are the two aspects of the knowledge of important and essential things of the universe. As a matter of fact, when we say that cmniscience is knowledge of important and essential things of this universe, we are obliged to answer to make the investižation ccmplete, whether it refers to knowledge of reolity, or duty or tecuty. But sirce in the history of the Indian thought we do not find emphasis upon the knowledge of teauty as a constituent of omniscience, we can postpone its discussion here.
(c) Omniscience as knowledge of the Reality If omniscience means “Knowledge of the reality ", we shall have to answer another question : whether it means knowledge of the transcendental and ultimate reality or that of the empirical reality ? If it be taken in the former sense, it will have a restricted meaning acceptable differently to different systems of thought. Then in that sense it would stand merely for the knowledge of a particular metaphysics Knowledge of the essential reality may also mean the knowledge of class concepts or ideas as in Plato's philosophy. For example, instead of speaking of this table and that table, we sometimes speak of table'. So the entire physical world cannot be covered by knowing such quetsions as matter, space, time etc. But if we do not bind ourselves to a particular