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Direct Knowledge
399
The yoga-conception of infinite knowledge also bears a striking resemblance with the Jaina conception of anantajñāna. Patañjali says that when the dirt of obscurance is removed totally the knowledge becomes infinite; as the knowable objects are finite, they fall short in comparison with knowledge. Vyāsa cites the example of sky and glow-warm. Similarly, the Jaina also maintains that practically a kevalin perceives the entire universe, but its capacity is infinite. Had there been infipite number of universes a kevalin would have perceived all of them.
Kevalajñāna and the Nyāya and Vaiseşeika Schools
We have already described the Nyāya view of the Vaišeşika super natural knowledge; which is attained through an extraordiuary contact with the universe. This contact is established through yogic practices for which they do not prescribe any definite course and generally follow the yoga system.
In the state of liberation the soul is devoid of all qualities including knowledge. The Nyāya does not make any difference between the discursive and transcendental types of knowledge. In the state of liberation where the other systems propose absence of discursive knowledge and the revelation of transcendental knowledge, the Nyāya proposes the total absence. Practically, they are on the same level.
In addition the Nyāya accepts eternal omniscience of God; which is a necessary equipment for his functions of creation, preservation and destruction of the universe. The Nyāya, chiefly being a devotee of logic does not propose any original theory regarding omniscience. Jainism and Omniscience
The Jainas hold a very clear and systematic view about the journey of soul towards liberation. Their theory of gunasthāna presenti a definite road with well-measured mile-stones; leading to the ultimate goal. Guņasthāna means the different stages of spiritual attainments. The soul regains its natural powers in higher
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