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Epistemology of Jainas
appear and disappear. In the cases of avadhi and Manah. paryāya also where they have never occurred before, the stream of their obscurance also can be held as beginningless. We can compare the stream with Mūlājñāna and individual obscuring substances with Tulājñāna. The Jaina Theory of Āvarana
According to the karma theory of Jainas the function of obscurance is related with the first two types of karman, i.e. jõānāvaraplya and darśanā varaniya. The function of projecting mithyājñāna or other false notions are related with Moha. niya. According to Jainism this projection is not false appearance, but wrong attitude. Wrongness does not mean unreality but pervertion or leading astray from the path of liberation.
Jñānāvarana is compared with a cloth bondage on the eyes. It means that jñānāvarana obscures the power of knowledge. Darašanāvaraña is compared with the door keeper who does not allow a person to present himself before the king. Similarly, darnšanāvarana obstructs the presentation. A child and an animal possess the power of sensation in same amount as does a learned man. The presentation of a thing is similar in both cases. But, the child lacks in the power of knowledge. His understanding cannot be compared with that of a grown up son. On the other hand a blind man and a person with perfect sight possess the same power of understanding. But, in the case of blind the things are not presented while in the latter case they do. Division of Āvaraña?
We have divided the āvaraņa into jñānāvaraniya and darśanāvaraṇlya. They are further divided into five and nine types respectively. The five types of jñānā. yaraṇa correspond to the five types of jñāna. Darsanāvaraņa is divided into nine types, out of which the first four correspond to the four types of darśana. The remainining five types are as follows: 1 Sec, Karmagratha I. 10
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