Jaina Psychology

Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: Sohanlal Jain Dharm Pracharak Samiti Amrutsar

Page 78

SENSORY AND MENTAL COMPREHENSION
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between the sense-organs and their objects. A sense-organ perceives the distinguishing quality of that substance that enters into its constitution. As regards the nature of mind, Vātsyāyana observes that mind is the internal sense-organ and points out its distinction from the external senses.2 Viśvanātha holds that the mind is a sense-organ. He advances the argument that the perception of pleasure, etc., must emerge through an instrument just as the visual perception of colour arises through the instrument of eye; and this instrument is nothing but mind.? Praśastapäda also argues that pleasure and pain are not cognised through the external senses but through an internal instrument, and that instrument is mind.4 Unless the mind is recognized as the internal instrument of perception, the cognition of pleasure and the like would be impossible.
The Mimāṁsaka recognizes two kinds of sense-organs: external and internal. The olfactory organ, the gustatory organ, the visual organ, the tactual organ, and the auditory organ are of the first kind. Of these, the first four are made up of earth, water, light, and air respectively. The auditory organ is of the nature of space (dik) confined within the ear-hole. The mind is the only internal senseorgan. It is atomic in nature, since there is no possibility of simultaneous cognitions. It operates in the perception of the self and its qualities. In the perception of external objects it acts jointly with the external sense-organs. It depends upon a particular mark (linga) in producing inferential cognition. In bringing about recollection it has to depend upon the subliminal impressions."
The Sānkarite recognizes five sensory organs, five motor organs, and four internal organs. The five sensory organs and the five motor organs are the same as admitted by the Sānkhya The Sānkhya recognizes three types of internal organs: mind, intellect, and ego, whereas the Sānkarite admits of four forms of internal organs: mind (manas), intellect (buddhi), ego (ahankāra) and thought (citta). Though the internal organ is one and the same, it adopts various forms according to its different functions. When it performs the
1 Nyāya-bhāşya, III, 1, 62. 2 Ibid., I, I, 4. 3 Siddhānta-muktāvali, 85. A Prasastapāda-bhāşya, p. 152. 6 Sastra-dipikā, pp. 115-6.