Jaina Theory of Knowledge

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

Page 72

JAINA THEORY OF COMPREHENSION
59
of others are cognised by telepathy through the medium of the mind. Pujyapada explains it as follows: 'Because of its association with the mind, the object of the mind is called 'mind'. The knowledge of that mind is entirely on account of the destruction-cum-subsidence of the respective karmic veil, although it is associated with the mind-substance'.68 Thus, according to him, the external objects are directly perceived by telepathy. He holds that the states of the mind are nothing but the states of the objects themselves. Owing to its association with the mind-substance, the object itself is called mind. Hence, the modes of the mind are nothing but the modes of the objects. The person possessed of the faculty of telepathy perceives the modes of the mind, that means, he perceives the modes of the objects. The states of the mind are not different from the states of the objects of the mind. Thus, Pujyapada concludes that the external objects themselves are directly perceived by telepathy. Akalanka also supports the same view.69
Jinabhadra, Maladhari Hemacandra, etc., hold a different opinion. A person possessing the faculty of telepathy perceives the states of the mind-substance directly, but cognises the external objects thought by the mind only through inference'.70 Maladhari Hemacandra, commenting upon the statement of Jinabhadra, says that a thinker may think about a material (rupin) as well as a non-material (arupin) object. It is a unanimous fact that for one who is not omniscient, it is impossible to perceive a non-material object directly. Hence, it is admitted that one possessed of the power of telepathy knows the object thought by others