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Bhagavati, Anuyogadvāra and Nandisūtra, elaborately discuss the gradual development of the conception of Pañcajnanāvāda. It suggests that although the theory of five-fold knowledge (Paricajñānavāda) was derived from Pārsva's tradition, it was later on developed by Mahāvīra.
Pt. Dalasukha Mālvania, in his well-known book “Agama Yuga Ka Jaina Darsana' has mentioned three stages of the development of Pañcajñānavāda based on the chronology of Jaina Āgamas. At the first stage knowledge was divided into five types1. Mati: the knowledge obtained through the sense organs
(Indriya), quasi-sense-organs (Anindriya), and mind (Mana). 2. Śruta: scriptural knowledge. 3. Avadhi: clairvoyance. 4. Manah-Paryava: telepathy or knowledge of others' mind. 5. Kevala: perfect knowledge comprehending all substances and their modifications or omniscience.
The description of five-fold knowledge, found in Bhagavatisūtra, is in accordance with this first stage. The Sthānānga and Umasvati's Tattvārtha-sūtra (c. 3rd A.D.) refer the second stage where the knowledge is divided into two main heads - (i) Pratyaksa (direct knowledge incorporating sensory and scriptural knowledge) and (ii) Paroksa (indirect knowledge which incorporates the three extra sensory knowledges). Umasvati also supports this two-fold division. At this stage, it was supposed that apart from the cognition depending on the soul alone (Ātmasapeksa Jñāna), the cognition depending on sense-organs and quasi-sense-organs (Indriya-Anindriya-sapeksa), depending on the intellect (Buddhi Sapeksa) and the cognition depending on the Āgamas, should be considered as indirect knowledge (Paroksa Jñāna). It became a special feature of Jaina Epistemology because others were
163 | Jainism and its History
