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5.Kevala Jñāna:
It is the perfect knowledge. It is also known as omniscience, because it intuits all the substances with all their modes of the past, present and future. When the veil of four destructive Karmas is completely removed, omniscience dawns. In omniscience there is nothing to be known and nothing remains unknown. But Ācārya Kundakunda gives somewhat different interpretation of Kevalajñāna. He says it is only from the practical view that the Kevali knows all the substances with all their modes; from the real point of view the Kevali knows his own self (Niyamasāra, 158). Thus, the Kevalajñāna is the Knowledge of one's own self.
Among the above mentioned five types of knowledge the first three may be right or may be wrong. Their rightness or wrongness depends on the rightness or wrongness of the attitude, vision or faith of the knower; but the last two are exclusively modes of right knowledge. In Mulācāra (5. 70-71) Ācārya Vattakera has laid down some criteria for determining the rightness or wrongness of knowledge. He says —
Jena taccam vibujjhejja jena cittam nirujjhadi Jena atta visujjhejja tam nanam jinasasane.
Jena raga virajjejja jena seesu rajjadi Jena mitti pabhavejja tam nanam jinasasane.
In Jainism the (right) knowledge is that which helps to understand the reality, controls the mind and purifies the soul. It is through the (right) knowledge that the ties of attachment are severed, interest in the ultimate goal is developed and the feelings of universal friendship are strengthened.
171 Jainism and its History
