Jainism and Democracy

Author(s): Indra Chandra Shastri
Publisher: I A S S Jain Conference New Delhi

Page 96

FIVE TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE
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the physical aspects the senses are parts of the physique of a living being. They are material as the body itself. They are further divided into the internal part and the external part, which is interesting for the study of ancient physiology. In the spiritual aspect they are nothing but the soul itself. They only represent the various expressions of the powers of the soul and their applications. This spiritual aspect is again divided into Power (labdhi) and Application (upayoga). In the process of knowledge the physical mind and the physical senses play the part of windows only. A man sitting in the closed room cannot see anything outside even with perfect vision. The window enables him to peep outside. The sphere of objectivity depends upon the size of the window. Similarly, the man is confined into the closed room of karmic obacurance. A hole into that obscurance enables the person to look at the external object. As the window is nothing but a natural outlet for the sense of vision, similarly the senses are nothing but partial removal of karmis obscurance. Thus, the senses in their positive aspect are nothing but soul. The Object etc.
Now we come to the fourth category of the object, light etc. Jainism does not give them any importance in the causation of knowledge. They are admitted as occasional helper but not as essentials. In illusion the object which exists does not appear. On the other hand that which does not exist appears.
It means that the presence of object is not a necessary condition. The Nyāya system includes big dimen