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Epistemology of Jainas
quent Svetambara literature accepts the former1 term while Digambaras patronize the latter.1
This controversy leads to the discussion about the factor that plays most important part in arriving at a judgement. At the stage of Ïha, the assertion of the existing factor carries more weight, but the negation of the non-existing factor is not reached as yet. This is completed in the stage of Avaya. According to this process the positive factor is known at the stage of Ïha, while the negative factor awaits Avaya. Umāsvāti in his Bhasya stresses upon this point and recognizes the term Apaya on that basis.
The Digambara tradition, perhaps under the influence of MImamsa, does not give any prominence to the negative aspect. They have always interpreted it as Avaya, in the sense that it reaches the positive aspect. Akalanka has tried at a compromise and stated that it does not matter whether we call it Apaya or Avaya. In both cases both aspects must be accepted. No judgement is possible in absence of any of the two.
Jinabhadra refers to another view also holding the stage of Avaya as the negation and that of Dharaṇa, the fourth stage, as assertion.3
Dharaṇā (Retention)
Dharaṇā consists in retention of the judgement already arrived at. It does not add anything new to the knowledge but helps in retaining the already acquired for a longer duration or in putting the subconscious impression that can be revived into memory. It is divided into the following three types5:
(1) Avicyavana-Fixation of attention on the same point for a long time without diversion. It is the state of cognition 1. Tattvärtha Bhasya Sūtra I. 15
2. Tattvärtha Rajavārtika I. 15, p. 43 3. Ibid.
4. Visesavasyaka Bhāṣya G. 185-87 5. Viseṣāvasyaka Bhāṣya G. 291
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