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The General Conception of Knowledge
the existence of pure consciousness. They hold that consciousmess must have something as its object. In the case of self cognition also they regard self as the object. But in the agamic period we have certain references where the existence of pure consciousness is recognized.
(1) The Prajñāpanāsutra divides upayoga into Nirakārapayoga (inarticulate cognition) and Sākāropayoga (articulate cognition). The term Nirākära is explained in the logical period, as samanyamatra-grahana or the cognition of mere existence. But generality also is an Akara. On this ground Virasena interprets Nirākāra as appearance without any object. We shall discuss it in the Chapter of Darśana.
(2) Akalanka states that consciousness has two forms,5 the cognition-form and the object-form. Cognition-form is like the mirror without any reflection. The object form is like that with reflection. Cognition-form is common in all apprehensions; but the object form is different with every appearance. The cognition form is pure consciousness. But the conception of pure consciousness according Jainism is merely a logical analysis. It is not a metaphysical state, as in the Sankhya and Vedanta systems, which hold it a permanent reality. But on discursive level, they also hold that pure consciousness cannot appear alone. Appearance is a mixed phenomenon. Another difference between Jaina and other systems, in this respect is related with the substratum of these two types of consciousness. According to Sankhya there are two separate entities supporting them. According to the Vedanta the former is real and self-supporting while the other is unreal, merely an illusion, based on the former. The Yogacara admits former as the support of the latter, while the former is self-supported. According to the Sautrantika
1. Sastravartasamuccaya 387-402
2. Prajñāpana Upayogadvāra 262
3. Pramāṇanayatattāloka II. 8 4. Dhavala p. 38-82.
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