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Epistemology of Jainas
Manaḥparyayajñāna (Thought-reading)
Manaḥparyaya means the modes of mind. Their knowledge is called manaḥparyayajñāna.1 It is also called manaḥparyava (prākṛta-Maṇapajjava) or manaḥparyaya. The Digambara literature uses the last name only. The terms paryava and paryaya express the sense of thought-reading, while paryaya means the modes of mind.
The Object of Manaḥparyaya
There are two opinions regarding the real nature of the object of manaḥparyaya. The Niryuktis and Tattvartha1 with its commentaries of Sarvārthasiddhi, Rājavārtika and Ślokavārtika propose that the subject-matter of manaḥparyaya is the object conceived by the mind. Gommaṭasara adds that the object which is half-conceived or is to be conceived in future also is apprehended by Manaḥparyaya. According to Jinabhadra Manaḥparyaya apprehends the different modes of mindsubstance. The objects conceived are not cognized by it, but, later on inferred by Mati. Siddhasena Ganin in his commentary on the Tattvartha favours the latter view. The Nandr seems to support the former but it is interpreted in both ways by commentators.8
It may be recalled here that Jainism proposes two types of mind (1) Physical mind (dravyamana) and psychical mind (bhavamana). Psychical mind is a mode of soul in the state of deliberation. It is immaterial like the soul and so beyond the reach of imperfect knowledge. There are no two opinions in
1. Višeṣāvasyabhāṣya G. 810
2. Tattvärtha 1/9- Digambara tradition
3. Avasyaka Niryukti G. 76
4. Tattvärtha Sūtra I. 23
5. Gommaṭasāra G. 438
6, Viseṣāvasyakabhāṣya G. 841
7. Nandi Sūtra 78
8. See Cūrṇi and tika on the above
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