Jaina Epistemology

Author(s): Indra Chandra Shastri
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

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Epistemology of Jainas the final authority on all matters. He has explicitly recognised its limitations and has expressed in clear terms that logic has no right to go beyond its seope. There are certain matters where reasoning has no approach. Logic can neither confirm nor reject then?. They can be known through the Agamas only. We can compare this view with the Acārāngasūtra, which relates about reality, that the tarka cannot approach it and the intellect cannot grasp2 it. The same thing is repeated by the Upanisada, the Sārfrakabhāsya and the Buddhist literature of pre-scholastic period. Siddhasena was not a critic of the Non-Jaina systems only. He examined the Jaina conceptions also logically and suggested many changes in the traditional notions. He did not find any difference between Jñāna and Darśana in the stage of omnisciences, between mati and śruta4 and also between avadhi and manai par yaya.5 Regarding the theory of knowledge he hasattached more importance to the objective side. His three folde division of pramāna and distinction between jñāna and darśana on the basis of nayas? testify to the above. He explained logically that gunas and paryāyas stand in the same relation to dravya on the ground of two Nayas. His contribution towards the theory of nayas also, is remarkable. His works : Siddhasena wrote Sanmatitarka, Nyāyāvatāra and 32 Dvātrimśikās as the tradition goes. The Sanmati is an entirely new and systematic exposition of the doctrine of Anekānta; which is the central theme of Jaina philosophy. It has been discussed by Siddhasena in a logical style. He has tried to assign Jaina philosophy a deserving place amongst the contemporary systems of Indian thought; to indicate the relation of 1. Sanmati, III 43-45 2. Ācārānga 15.6.2. 3. Sanmati II 3. 4. Niścayadvā. 19 5. Ibid. 17 6. Nyāyāvatāra 2 7. Sanmati II, 1. 8. Ibid. III, 10