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CHAPTER VI
AJNANA
IGNORANCE Four Meanings of the Term Ajñāna
In Indian philosophy the team ajñāna is applied to four -senses (1) Firstly, ajñāna means wrong knowledge; the cognition which does not correspond with the object or does not cohere with the subsequent cognitions as the idealists hold. In this sense ajñāna is generally known as mithyājñāna, samaropa, khyāti, viparyaya or adhyāsa. It is related mainly with the problem of validity of knowledge which is a topic for logical period.
2. In the second sense ajñāna means perverted knowledge which is a subjective consideration. Perversion does not mean wrong apprehension but the wrong attitude towards the object. This is the main problem of ethics as well as the Agamic conception of ajñāna.
3. In the third sense it means absence of knowledge. Here, we have to discuss, if knowledge is a nature of the self, why we know a few objects only and those also not without some effort. Further, why there is inequality in respect of knowledge among different persons.
4. In the Vedānta-system Ajñāna means avidyā with its two-fold power of obscurance as well as false projection. The Jaina term for obscurance is jñānāvarana or darśanāvaraña. This sense is related to the nature of the cause of ignorance.
The Āgamas are mainly related with the last three senses only. We shall discuss all the four under the following heads :
1. Ajñāna as wrong knowledge. 2. Ajñāna as perverted attitude. 3. Ajñāna as absence of knowledge. 4. Ajñāna as the cause of ignorance.
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