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Epistemology of Jainas but, on a different ground. Patañjali describes the psychical powers produced by the practice of yoga. Through the concentration on different objects, he says, one can have supersensuous perception of that very object. In the same context he states that by concentration on the mind of other person one is able to know his mind. The object conceived by that mind is not perceived, because, that is not the object of concentration.
Majjhimanikāya of Suttapitaka describes certain rules of conduct to be observed by a bhikkhu if he desires some accomplishments, natural as well as supernatural. Amongsť the supernatural powers the cognition of all varieties of mind also is referred. It also does not indicate the objects conceived by the mind as the subject-matter of that cognition. Critical Examination of the views represented by Akalanka and Jinabhadra
We can analyse the above problem under the following heads :--
1. The meaning of the term. 2. The purpose or distinguishing characteristics. 3. The cognition of physical mind. 4. The cognition of the object conceived.
(1) The term 'mapahparyāya' means the modes of mind. But, the mind can be physical as well as psychical. So the term itself does not indicate sufficiently which aspect is meant for. The terms of manahparyāya and manaḥparyava also can be interpreted in both ways.
(2) The main purpose of manaḥ-paryāya jñāna is, roughly speaking thought-reading. It can not mean merely the cognition of changes produced in the mindsubstance; but, that of the ideas contained in it. Akalanka maintains that the function of manaḥparayāya is not completed unless it knows the ideas also. Jinabhadra2 confines it to the cognition of mind substance only. The cognition of ideas, he says, is the result of subsequent inference. 1. Tattvārtha Rajavārtika I. 23 2. Višeşāvaśyakabhāsya G. 814
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