Book Title: Jaina Psychology
Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: Sohanlal Jain Dharm Pracharak Samiti Amrutsar

Previous | Next

Page 116
________________ EXTRA-SENSORY PERCEPTION 99 also divides perceptions into two categories: ordinary and extraordinary. Ordinary perception has been defined as the direct and immediate comprehension of gross objects, produced by a particular relation between the sense-organs and their objects with the help of light, time, space, and merit or demerit of the person. Extraordinary perception has been defined as the direct and immediate cognition of distant, past, future, and subtle objects. The Vedāntists accept the view of the Pātañjala school in its entirety. It is evident from this brief account that the concept of extra-sensory perception is not new to the Indian mind. Now, let us record the evidence of psychical research to measure the validity of extra-sensory perceptions. PSYCHICAL RESEARCH ON EXTRA-SENSORY PERCEPTION It is a general conclusion of modern scientific psychology that all our ideas, images, and concepts are mere representatives of the sensory perceptions that have been acquired in our experience. No element of cognition can ever be found in the mind that has not entered there through the windows of the senses. Thus, our cognitive structure is nothing but our sensory experience limited in time and space. ✓ There has been ample research work in the field of Psychical Research that shows the possibility of cognition independent of he assistance of the senses and mind. Such phenomena as clairvoyance, telepathy, clairaudience, and the like have been recorded to prove the validity of the occurrence of extra-sensory perceptions. 'Clairvoyance and telepathy are a primary datum of scientific observation. Those endowed with this power grasp the secret thoughts of other individuals without using their sense-organs. They also perceive events more or less remote in space and time. This quality is exceptional. It develops in only a small number of human beings. But many possess it in a rudimental state. They use it without effort and in a spontaneous fashion,'2 Professor McDougal writes: "The ancient belief in clairvoyance seems also in a fair way established. Further, pre-cognition or fore-sight of events that ! Indian Psychology: Perception, pp. 335-55. 2 Man, the Unknown, p. 124.

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238