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reality. The general conception of the Jaina also resembles the Vedanta as far as it holds mere being as the object of darśana. But, the Jaina does not make any distinction between articulate and inarticulate cognition in regard to their relation with the reality. He holds that both are equally real and objective. In the above sense akāra means bheda (division).
Darśana
The Buddhist1 also holds the articulate cognition merely conceptual, having no objective reality; and inarticulate cognition as the apprehension of mere objective reality. But, unlike the Vedantist he does not hold it as the apprehension of mere being. He contends that inarticulate cognition apprehends the thing-in-itself, without any association of name or class-concepts. The difference between Vadanta and the Buddhism owes to their different conceptions of reality. The Buddhist does not divide perception into the above-mentioned two varieties, but holds them as independent types of knowledge; namely, pratyakṣa (perception) and anumana (inference). There are two different types of objects also corresponding to them. Perception is related with percepts, the objective reality and inference with concepts which have no objective reality. According to Jainism concepts are not devoid of objective reality. The Buddhism holds ākāra as vikalpa, the conceptual notions of class, name etc. and not bheda as the Vedanta maintains. According to Buddhism every thing is svalakṣaṇa, i. e. having its own individual definition, without any similarity with others. The difference between Jaina and Buddhist can be noticed in the following points:
1. According to Buddhism vikalpa is merely conceptual; according to Jainism it is as real as the percepts.
2. According to Buddhism the object of first appearance is particular without any identification with others. According to Jainism it is general without any distinction.
3. The Buddhist stresses upon the term nirvikalpa; as vikaIpa according to him, means absence of reality. The Jainas 1. Nyayabindu p. 11
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