Jaina Theory of Knowledge

Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: Gujarat Vidyapith Ahmedabad

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CHAPTER II JAINA THEORY OF COMPREHENSION
Comprehension is the determinate and definite cognition of an object. The Jaina thinkers, just like other ancient philosophers of India, recognise two varieties of comprehension : sensory and extra-sensory. Sensory comprehension is conditioned by the senses and mind, whereas extra-sensory comprehension is directly derived from the source of consciousness, i.e., soul. It perceives the object directly and immediately without any assistance of the senses and mind, hence, it is also called direct perception, immediate perception, or extra-sensory perception.
An objection is raised here that the statement about sensory comprehension that it is conditioned by the senses and mind is inadequate. For example, visual perception has for its additional conditions the presence of the object and light. In answer to this, it is said : 'The object and light are not the conditions of cognition, because of the lack of concomitance in difference (vyatireka) between the two." The meaning is that the external object and light are not the direct conditions of visual perception, though it is not denied that they are remote (vyavahita) conditions just as
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