Book Title: Jainism And Its History
Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Research Foundation for Jainology

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Page 168
________________ So it is clear that the conception of five-fold knowledge is quite old but its gradual development took place only during the c. 3rd -7th A.D. Tattvärthasūtra and its auto-commentary, both do not refer these two types of Pratyaksa-Samvyavaharika and Paramarthika. By that period Mati Jñāna was considered as Paroksa. The hypothesis of these two types of Pratyaksa - Samvyavaharika and Paramarthika came into existence after c. 3rd 4th A.D. in the period of Nandisūtra (c. 5th A.D.) as the above division was clearly mentioned in this text. Bhagavatisūtra refers to Nandisūtra and Anuyogadvāra for the details about the Jaina theory of knowledge. It concludes that this portion was incorporated in Bhagavati at the time of Valabhi Vācanā (c. 5th A.D.). Sthānanga'sclassification of knowledge as Pratyaksa and Paroksa also is contemporary to Tattvārthasūtra (c. 4th A.D.). In the above mentioned scriptures Avadhijñāna (clairvoyance), Manah-Paryaya-Jñāna (telepathy or knowledge of others' mind) and Kevalajñāna (perfect knowledge comprehending all the substance and their modes, i.e., Omniscience), all being beyond the range of our senses are considered as transcendental perception or self perception. This conception did not undergo any change in later periods also. Similarly the scriptural knowledge also continued to be considered as indirect (Paroksa). But among the two classes of Matijñāna - Indriyajanya Matijñāna (originated from senses) and Manojanya Matijñāna (originated from mind). The sense originated Matijñāna was considered as Paroksa from the transcendental (Paramarthika) point of view and Pratyaksa from the point of view of common usage (Samvyavaharika). The other traditions were considering sense originated Matijñāna as Pratyaksa. When discussions over Jainism and its History 166

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