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Epistemology of Jainas
sense of sound apprehends the object which is sprsta only. It does not require the condition of being fastened also. It is so sharp (patu) that mere contact is sufficient. Thus, the Jaina holds three classes regarding the contact between senses and the object. The senses of touch, taste and smell apprehend the object which is in touch as well as physical grip (baddhasprsta). The sense of sound apprehends on mere touch only. The sense of sight apprehends the object which is neither in touch nor in grip. The Object of Senses
According to the Nyāya the senses are constructed of one element each. The sense of smell is an earthly composition, the senses of taste is made of water, the sense of sight that of fire, the sense of sound that of space and the sense of touch that of air. These elements contain one special quality each; which is the object of corresponding senses.
The Nyāya asserts that the quality apprehended by a sense must be possessed by its constituent elements. The olfactory sense (ghrāņa) is the organ of apprehending smell. It must have the quality of smell in it. As such, it is constituted of the earth, to which smell originally belongs as an attribute. The gustatory sense (rasanā) is the condition of taste-sensation. It is constituted by physical element called water, because it is possessed of the specific attribute of that element viz. taste. The visual sense (caksu) is the cause of colour sensations and itself contains colour. It has its locus in the pupil of the eye. It is constituted of a luminous substance called tejas or light. The cuteneous sense (tvak) is the source of touch-sensation and temperature-sensation. It is constituted of the physical element of air; because, like air it manifests the quality touch.
The Jaina does not approve of the Nyāya-view that a particular sense is constituted of the particular element. He holds that all senses belong to the same material cause, i. e. audārika vargaņā. The Nyāya contention that a particular quality is sensed by a particular sense-organ because the latter is constituted
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