Jains in India and Abroad

Author(s): Prakash C Jain
Publisher: International Summer School for Jain Studies

Page 42

Jain Epistemology Jain epistemology deals with the nature of objects of knowledge, means of knowledge, and the modes of comprehension and expression of reality. The objects of knowledge consist of all the six substances and associated phenomena as mentioned earlier. These substances not only display the properties of quality and modification, they are also extended over infinite space and time (past, present and future). Additionally they are subject to origination, destruction and permanence. Moreover, when it comes to social phenomena they are additionally complex by virtue of being subjective, symbolic and dynamic, and also diverse over space and time. Thus, according to Jain philosophers the reality is complex and multifaceted (anekanta). The recognition of this fact is summed up in the doctrine of Anekantvad. They further assert that such a reality can be fully comprehended only by an omniscient being, and not by ordinary human beings who have various kinds of limitations in their comprehension and expression of reality. This is more evident in the light of the fact that in terms of its means of acquisition, knowledge is classified by the Jain scholars into five categories: sense knowledge (mati-jnan), verbal or scriptural knowledge (shruti-jnan), extrasensory perception or clairvoyant knowledge (avadhi-jnan), thought reading or telepathy (manahparyay-jnan), and ommiscience, absolute or perfect knowledge (kevala-jnan).
The fact that a human being can apprehend only partial reality led the Jain scholars to introduce the doctrine of Nayavada which is a system of describing reality from different points of view or standpoints (nayas). No single standpoint can be claimed as the only valid one. Thus the doctrine recognizes the relative validity of other standpoints. At the same time it provides a framework to introduce another doctrine, namely the doctrine of Syadvada which simply states that given the fact that our statements are only conditionally or relatively true, they must be "qualified with the term Syat, i.e. 'in some respects', or 'somehow', or 'in a way', with a view to emphasize its conditional or relative character (Sangave 2006: 48).
Jain Ethics Jainism is basically a salvation religion - a religion that puts significant emphasis on attaining moksha. In terms of the karma doctrine, the
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