Book Title: Jainism in Buddhist Literature
Author(s): Bhagchandra Jain Bhaskar
Publisher: Alok Prakashan

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Page 170
________________ ( 151 ) Later cāryas such as Kundakunda, Samantabhadra, Akalanka, Vidyānanda try to establish omniscience on the basis of inference. We have already mentioned Kundakunda argument in this connection. Then Samantabhadra says that there are three kinds of entities, viz. the subtle ( sahşma ), proximate ( antarita ), and remote (dpravarti ). They must be perceived simulataneously by somebody, since all objects are to be perceived. Hence there must be some one omniscient. 184 Virasena presents another argument in support of omniscience. He says that Kevalajñāna ( omniscience ) is innate in the soul. Due to destruction-cum-subsidence of karmas, it functions as matijnana. The self-cognised mati implies the fractional kevala jijāna, just as the observation of a part of a mountain leads us to the perception of the mountain itself. 135 The Jaina philosophers did not emphasise Dharma jflatva like Dharmrakirti or early Buddhist tradition, but they endeavoured to point out that a person is omniscient when he is both Dharmajñia as well as Sarvajña, because Dharma jñātva depends on sarvajñatva. Akalanka presents another argument which is also referred to by Dharmottara, a Buddhist philosopher in the Dharmotlara-pradipa. 196 His argument is that if we deny supersensorial knowledge, how can astrological divinations be made ? Hence, it must be accepted that there is a faculty of super-sensorial knowledge which is nothing but Kevalajñana or omniscience. 137 After the destruction of the evil of kaimic bondage one can attain the inherent capacity of his own soul, and perceive all things. 138 The very progressive gradation of knowledge implies the highest magnitude of knowledge attained by man. If one has no capacity to know or perceie all things at once he will not be able to do so even by mcans of the Veda, 139 Hence we have to accept that one can become omnisceint. Impossibility of omniscience cannot be established unless one has knowledge of persons of all times. Consequently, one who rejects omniscience for all times must himself be omui

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