Jaina Theory of Knowledge

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

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JAINA THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE
specific determination of the object that has already been cognised by sensation'.!! For Jinabhadra speculation means an enquiry for the distinctive feature.20 Akalanka defines speculation almost in the same terminology?!. Vidyananda defines speculation as the enquiry for a particular feature of the object generally cognised by sensation. Speculation is different from doubt for the reason that it positively possesses the element of ascertainment. 22 Vadideva also defines speculation similarly.23 Hemacandra gives the following definition of speculation : ‘Speculation is a striving for the specific details of the object cognised by sensation."24 On the reception of an objective datum by sensation, for instance a sound, there arises a doubt whether the sound comes from a conch or a horn, and the faculty of cognition begins to consider the specific points of agreement and disagreement in the form of the judgment ‘it seems to be sweet which feature belongs to the sound of conch and not to be harsh which attribute belongs to the sound of horn'. This type of mental enquiry is called speculation. Now, what is the ground on which speculation is distinguished from doubt ? The mental state that relates to many contradictory features, is not able to differentiate the true from the false, is incapable of excluding the wrong from the right, is called doubt. On the other hand, the mental state that strives for the ascertainment of the truth on the ground of reason, which is to be successful at the next stage which tends to accept the true and reject the false is called speculation.25.