________________
Epistemology of Jainas
pati states that the object transforms the mind into its own particular form, which is in itself formless. Thus, according to Sankhya transformation of the mental mode (buddhivṛtti) into the form of object is the essential condition for perception. In the case of internal perception also, though vṛtti does not go out; yet, the phenomenon of transformation occurs internally. In the case of yogic perception the same is performed through supernatural power obtained through the yogic practices. So, the Sankhya also does not differ substantially from the Nyaya. Where the Nyaya lays stress on the contact the Sankhya does so on the transformation or mode of the mind.
224
According to Sankara-school of the Vedanta, the eternal consciousness (Brahman) is modalized in three ways2. It is modalized by different objects and called as object-consciousness (Visayacaitanya). It is modalized by the mental modes and called as cognitive consciousness (pramāņa caitanya). And it is modalized by different minds and called as cognizing consciousness (pramätṛ caitanya). Thus, there is only one universal consciousness; it is determined by the mind or internal organ (antaḥkaraṇa), the activities of the mind or mental modes and the objects cognized. There are the determinants of the universal light of consciousness. Perception means the identification of all the three types of modalized consciousness. The antaḥkarana goes out through the vehicles of senses and occupies the place of the object. Thus, the consciousness modalized by antaḥkaraṇa (pramātṛ caitanya), the consciousness modalized by the outgoing antaḥkarana (vṛtti caitanya) and the consciousness modalized by the object (viṣaya-caitanya) and identified. This identification does not take place in the case of imperceptual knowledge.
In the above-mentioned definitions of perception one thing is common, that all of them recognize sense-object as the
1 Sankhya Tattvakaumudi, K. 5
2 Vedanta Paribhāṣā p. 44
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
