Nandanvana

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

Page 46

(26) : Nandanavana
available. Moreover, it seems that they have moved towards a stage about constructing a picture of reality from sophisticated instrumentation and mathematized practical genius, which seems quite akin to the intuitive constructs. Moreover, they have realized that their intellectualism seems to have attained a limit for finding out basic building blocks of matter. Hence they are getting more philosophers than scientific -. In fact, it is now opined that the two ways of knowing indicate the complementarities of mind, the modes of being inside the person like the complementarity principle of physics.
The scientific type of knowledge is acquired with the help of senses, instruments and intellect. However, some nonsensical knowledge has also been possible in this area (X-rays, radio-activity, sub-atomies), of course, through instruments. This is termed as direct knowledge, repeatable by almost all qualified and, thus, independent of observers. In contrast, intuitive knowledge has strong internal and individual element expressed in terms of meditative perception. Though many philosophers have not given details about the types of knowledge, but Jainas specify five types of cognitions. The scientific knowledge is involved in empirical direct cognition while telepathy, clairvoyance and absolute cognition is intuitive knowledge. The scriptural knowledge is the fifth one. Thus, the Jainas follow the fact of three types of cognitions which they also call instruments of valid cognition by causal relationship. As they originate from the same source-human mind, they could be assumed to be somehow closely related despite the facts of Table 1. Concepts about Reality and Universe
Both ways of knowing things have given us concepts about universe and its multi-dimensional phenomena. Most scientists and philosophers presume the objective reality of the universe and its contents. Pure monism (animism or in-animism) has changed and since the days of dualistic or Cartesian approach, .spirit and matter have been taken as independent realities. The spirit and matter have been termed by various, supposed to be equivalent, names during the ages: body (?), mind, soul, brain, consciousness etc. In fact, it is a living unit now called a non-material force of which these elements form a part. The living is responsible for knowing about self and other