________________
95
The Path of Three Jewels The special position of right knowledge according to Jõānasāra
Jñānasāra lays greater emphasis on knowledge. There seems to be an influence of Sankhya, Yoga and Vedānta on the author of the book. He defines avidyā or ignorance, after the fashion of Patañjali, as miscomprehending non-eternal as eternal, impure as pure and non-self as self. Obviously, Jñānasāra includes mithyādarśana and mithyājñāna, both in avidyā. “If the knowledge, capable of cutting the Gordian knot, exists what is the use of strange tantras and yantras ? "If the sight itself is dispeller of darkness why use the lamps ?"2 The book continues to speak in poetic tones, "The wise declare knowledge to be a nectar, which does not arise from ocean, a tonic, without being a medicine, a glory which does not depend on others." Knowledge of scriptures is to be distinguished from inner knowledge. A man, intoxicated with penance and scriptural knowledge etc. even though devoted to religious rites, gets attached; whereas a man possessed of the inner knowledge, even though not devoted to religious rites, does not get attached. The wise cuts, with the sickle of knowi ledge, the creeper of the poison of desire, which yields th¢ fruits of drying up of the mouth, attachment and helpless ness.5 Knowledge makes a man fearless. It is the real penance (tapas) because it burns (tāpanāt) the karmans.?
All this praise which jñāna sāra showers on knowledge is justified in case of the broader sense of the term, which it attributes to it. Right knowledge Vs. wrong knowledge :
All knowledge of a wrong believer is wrong because it does not lead to liberation. Even otherwise, if a man does
1. Jñānasära, Bhavanagar, Vik. Sam. 1969, Vidhyaştaka, 1.
(For other Aştakas also see Jñanāsára)
cf. Yogasūtra, 2.5. 2. Jñānāştaka, 6. 3. Ibid., 8. 4. Nirlepāstaka, 5. 5. Nihsphästaka, 3. 6. Cf. Nirbhayāstaka. 7. Tha at: gg: HTT T971979: 1
-Tapoștaka, 1.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
