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94
Jaina View of Life
Dhāraṇā: Retention, dharaṇā, is the next stage in perceptual experience. The Nandisūtra defines retention as the act of retaining a perceptual judgement for a number of instants or innumerable instants. According to Umāsvāti retention develops through three stages as i) the nature of the object is finally cognised, ii) the cognition so formed is retained and iii) the object is recognised on future occasions. The Avašyakaniryukti defines dhāraņā as retention. Jinabhadra says that retention is the absence of the lapse of perceptual cognition. Like Umāsvāti he also mentions three stages of retention as i) the absence of the lapse of perceptual judgement, ii) the formation of the mental traces and iii) the recollection of the cognition on the future occasions. In this description the absence of the lapse, avicyuti, mental trace, vāsanā, and recollection smsti are three stages included in the conception of dhāraņā.
Thus, some logicians make dharana a mere retention of perceptual experience; while some others would make it also a condition of recall of that experience at a future time. Hemacandra recalls his view of retention as the condition of recall with the view as the absence of retention of the lapse mentioned in the Viseşāvašyaka Bhāşya. He says that retention is the absense of the lapse of perception. But it is included in the perceptual judgement avāya. That is why it has not been separately mentioned by him. Avāya when it continues for some length of time may be called retention as the absence of the lapse of experience. It may also be said that absence of the lapse is also a condition of recall in the sense in which he defines Dharaņā. Mere perception without the absence of the lapse gives rise to recollection. Perceptual judgements which are not attended by reflective mental stage are almost on the level of unattended perception, like the touch of grass by a person in hurried motion. And such perceptions are not capable of giving rise to recollection."
90. Višeşāvas yaka Bhāşya. 179. Dhāraṇam punardharanam. 91. Pramānamimāṁsā, 1. 1. 29 and commentary.
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