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Ajñāna
tes to the upholder of consciousness as natural characteristic of the self,
475
The Nyaya makes a distinction between non-intelligent and intelligent on the basis that the latter can inhere in the quality of buddhi or consciousness. That quality is generated by the contact between mind and the soul which is possible in the physical body only. In the state of sleep as well as liberation that contact is lost and therefore on cognition is possible. Regarding the gradation of knowledge, the Nyaya attributes all responsibility to buddhi, which can be developed through various excercises. The question of constant knowledge does not arise in his case.
According to Buddhism mind or citta is naturally intelligent or intelligence. It is a psychical flow, but it grasps the object only when the latter comes into concomittance. The power of cognition is obscured by jñeyavarana also. The gradation in knowledge depends upon the thickness or thinness of that avarana. But, it should be noted here, that avaraṇa, according to Buddhism, is not a material substance but impression (samskara) of the past experiences. We see that our mind loses balance or concentration when anger or other passions invade it. It is not able to apprehend even a clear object in that state. Thus, these saṁskāras influence the mind and rob it of its natural power. Ignorance results from absence of concentration or concomittance.
Jain Education International
According to Sankhya ignorance results from absence of vṛtti. It holds knowledge as well as its obscurance as belonging to matter (prakṛti); which is constituted of three ingredients. The first ingredient, namely sattva causes knowledge, while the third namely tamas, causes obscurance. The destruction of the sense power (indriyavadha) is one of the functions of tamas. Deafness, blindness, and other defects of senses result from it. Thus, the absence of knowledge is caused by tamas, which is a substantial matter. The gradation in knowledge depends upon
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