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The General Conception of Knowledge
121
As a matter of fact the difference between Jaina and the Sankhya conceptions is very subtle. It owes more to their different theories of causation and the nature of reality than to the actual position of consciousness. The Sankhya does not accept any thing being produced a new or vanishing in the course of time absolutely; the states to interlink which the acceptance of a third category of continuity and a relation of identity in difference between them may be necessary. Moreover, the locus of action is the agent only; and not the experient, which is simply a passive observer. The question of change, therefore, does not arise in the case of Puruşa, who is absolutely passive. According to Jainism every reality as has been stated above consists of the three factors of rise, decay and continuity. The Sankhya believes in the factor of continuity only as far as Purusa is conceroed and attributed the factor of change to Prakřti. In the case of Purusa, therefore, no other substratum, representing the factor of continuity is required. The Jaina contends that these two factors cannot be separated as belonging to separate entities. Every reality is constituted of all the three factors.
The Jaina does not favour the Sānkhya division that the noumenal consciousness, with the factor of continuity is represented by Puruşa and the phenomenal consciousness with the factor of change, which is also known as cognition or ideation, is connected with Buddhi. (2) The Consciousness : a passive observer
The second point of difference is this that according to Sankhya Puruşa is mere passive observer or simple awareness. This notion is the basis of the Sankhya theory of representation. According to it, our consciousness does not observe the objects directly. The external objects are never apprehended by the cogniser. It is only their images, reflected into the pure substance of buddhi, that are the objects of apprehension. According to Sankhya, cognition means the creation of these images, forms or concepts This function is done by Buddhi which is transformed into these images. But these images are
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