Jaina Epistemology

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

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Epistemology of Jainas
and the 8th is a critical exposition of Jalpakathā. The rest are given to philosophy and to the discussion of reality according to various systems.
We are not concerned with the eulogistic compositions. Amongst Dvā. of critical character the sixth deals with the nature of Āpta (the men of authority). It reminds one of the Apta mimāṁsā by Samantabhadra and Apta pariksā by Vidyānanda. But the method of their exposition is quite different. In the 8th Dvā. there is a critical discussion of Jalpakathā employed for the sake of rivals defeat and one's own victory. Siddhasena has exposed the hollowness of such tricks of debate which end in sheer fatigue of one's own tongue and sleepless nights for the defeated as well as the victor. Amongst Dvā. dealing with the systems of philosophy and the nature of things the 7th ends with the name of Vādopanişad, giving a brief survey of the art of debate, the tricks employed. there and the qualities needed. The 9th Dya. has in it such a subtle vein of disapproval regarding the Upanisadic doctrines that it is quite possible that it might have been written to refute the famous Upanisadic doctrines. It speaks highly of the deep scholarship of the author and his intimate knowledge of Indian philosophy. Dvā. from 12 to 15 deal with Nyāya, Sāmkhya, Vaiśesika and nihilistic school of Buddhism respectively. Dvā. dealing with ancient Indian logic testify to the profound study of this system on the part of Siddhasena. In the 19th Dvā the famous trinity of Jaina philosophy that of Jñana, Darśana and Caritra is first mentioned as a means of liberation. Then comes a very subtle analysis of Jñāna. Incidentally some other pbilosophical things also are analysed. The subject matter of the 22nd Dvā. (Nyāyāvatāra) will be discussed separately.
The Nyāyāvatārasūtra is the first composition completely devoted to Jaina logic. It is very small in size, consisting 32 stanzas only, but has put all the points relating to the Jaina logic into nutshell. This is why it is called a sūtra. Later scholars have composed voluminous works on the foundation of its