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Epistemology of Jainas bearing a sound i. e. śruta, the order changes. śruta becomes cause and mati the effect. This argument is based on misunderstanding the nature of real śruta. In the case quoted above, only dravya-śruta stands as the cause of mati, while we are concerned with bhāvaśruta.
The above principle is applicable in the case of causation only. It only proposes that mati does not occur as the effect of śruta. It does not rule out the occurrance of mati after śruta as an independent knowledge. Just as the ornaments of bangles or eat rings must have gold as its cause, Gold must precede them. But, it does not mean that gold cannot have existence even after those forms are no more. The subsequent existence of gold does not depend upon the ornaments as its cause. Similarly, śruta is a particular form of mati and must have the latter as its cause. When that form disappears, there is no difficulty in occurrence of mati from its own causes. None can say, that śruta, once produced, rules out mati for ever.
Dravyasruta preceded by Mati
According to another opinion it is not bhāvaśruta, that is preceded by mati but the dravyaśruta i. e. speech. No body speaks without thinking. First, we establish the idea in our mind and then convey it to others. So, the speech is preceded by mati.
There are three objections to this view. Firstly, it leaves no scope for bhāvasruta. If the mental association of word with its meaning, which precedes utterance of a speech, is mati, the same should be admitted in case of the knowledge resulting from hearing the specch. Thus, the mental thoughts preceding as well as following the speech are included into mati and no room is left for śruta. Secondly, we are not concerned with the difference between dravyasruta and mati. It is already established; because, the former is a matter while the latter is knowledge. There can be no question about their difference. The question is related to the difference, between two types of
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