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Epistemology of Jainas
external influence in these divisions and sub-divisions. No doubt, parallel notions can be found in other systems also, but that is merely an accident. We cannot say that one system borrowed from the other. It might be a development of some common source existing before them. But, as far as the present literature is concerned the Agamic division seems to be an independent development.
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The Agamic division is predominantly subjective; but, other considerations are not totally ignored in it. Mati and Sruta are common to all the mundane souls. Avadhi has two types. One is found in all the inhabitants of divine and hellish kingdoms. The other type is found in the beings of human or sub-human kingdoms, it is a super-natural power. Manaḥparyaya is possible in an ascetic (muni) only. The kevala dawns when the aspirant destroys the karmic obscurance completely. The three types of ajñāna are confined to a mithyadrsti only. Thus, these types express different ethical status of the owner. The question of mati and śruta is rather complicated. The Tattvärtha states śruta as a subsequent stage of mati resulting from the scriptural knowledge, confined to a fixed number of texts. The Nandy also holds a particular set of scriptures as samyak-śruta and another set as mithyaśruta. It means that śruta is confined to the scriptural knowledge only. On the other hand it is held as common to all the beings with imperfect knowledge. But, we cannot say that the scriptural knowledge is possessed by one-sensed beings also. For this purpose śruta is described as the mental reflection associated with speech or articulation. In this respect, the demarcation between mati and śruta becomes, more or less, insignificant. We shall discuss these problems in the next chapter. At present we want to show the general trend of the Agamic division, which is mainly subjective.
(2) The second stage is based on the Niryuktis, majority of which originated in the second century of Vikrama era. It shows some marks of the external influence. The Niryuktis
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