Nandanvana

Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 44

(24) : Nandanavana
under a single divine principle concept. The Greek atomists pointed living matter to be formed from the complex combinations of atoms in contact with the independent manifestation concept of the living by the Jainas. The philosophers or religionists of east and west of the time turned their attention more towards spiritual world rather than material. Aristotle and eastern scholars called it more valuable. That is why early systems deal with the basic nature of the world rather than gross matter. However, since then, these two facets have been occupying the minds of thinkers. They acquired their knowledge about them in three ways: (i) direct experience or intuition (ii) intellectual reasoning or analysis and (iii) authority of scriptures containing records by those who delved and realised deeper into the problems and had complete knowledge. The authoritative knowledge has been most threatened by the scientific community since Descartes time in the west while it has been elaborated and extended in most cases in the east.
Human mind is capable of two kinds of knowledge or modes of consciousness which could be expressed in terms of (i) analytic or rational and (ii) psychic or intuitive. In current terms, they may be called scientific and philosophic or religious. Their characteristics are given in Table 1. Despite their different nature, however, it is found that as both types of knowledge occur in both the fields, there always seems to be some element of rationality in intuitive knowledge and vice-versa. However, the reliability of these types of knowledge is comparable according to current scientific opinions. Table 1 : Characteristics of Rational and Intuitive Knowledge Rational (Scientific)
Intuitive (Philosophic) (a) Nature Western system
Mostly eastern system Analytic and scientific
Psychic and speculative/philosophic Quantitative
Qualitative, intuitional Reductionist
Monist/Holist More valued but of lower kind Less valued but of higher kind Relative knowledge
Absolute Knowledge Abstract/conceptual knowledge Non-abstract/complete Non-traditional, western
Traditional, eastern Scientific tradition
Mystic tradition Observer-concepted
Participator concepted
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