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Properties of Matter in Jaina Canons:
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this stage is Avāya. Some have called it Apāya as it excludes others for deciding on one object.
The fourth stage for the process of knowing is to retain what already had been decisively learnt in stage 3. This retention leads to communication and application of this knowledge to other similar or dissimilar objects. This stage is named as Dhāraņā and its meaning seems to have been expressed in quite a restricted sense. It would have been better had it been given a more general view. It seems it has been defined with respect to one object at a time and the same object at other times. Normally, dhāraṇā should mean a valid conception applicable to similar fields. If this little better view is taken, it becomes the base for hypothesis in the current terminology. A universally applicable hypothesis becomes a theory or a law. The third and fourth process involves all the mental process given above for drawing valid decision.
The last stage in the knowing process is the preparation of records of the knowledge so obtained. These records are meant to learn what has been known and communicate for the future generation. It is called Śruta or scriptures having a meaning of heard or seen by previous scholars. There is a large amount of discussion about the nature of Śruta and their authors. It is said that the authors are of two types: omniscient and non-omniscient." All the present scriptures have been composed by non-omniscient authors on the basis of traditional omniscient authority. It may be surmised they do not satisfy the criteria of their direct omniscient authorship. They should, thus, be taken as true records by the scholarly authors of various ages. They contain differing views and additional contents in many cases. They may, thus, be subject to modifications for better accuracy of their contents not substantiated by current observation and analysis. The idea that old scriptures are all-proof and contain all the knowledge for all the times does not stand scrutiny. In this case, there should not be any addition or modification in their contents and the knowledge would become like water in a pond. This trend has led India to a trend to non-utilitarian view of pursuance for new knowledge causing her backwardness in recent times in contrast to her earlier competitive position.
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