New Dimensions in Jaina Logic

Author(s): Mahaprajna Acharya, Nathmal Tatia
Publisher: Today and Tommorrow Printers and Publishers

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New Dimensions in Jaina Logic
but the latter is not identical with the former. The cessation of ignorance is effected by cognition, and this is why the latter as the organ is the instrument of the cessation of ignorance. The organ and its result occur in succession, and this temporal sequence is responsible for the organ-result relationship. In fact the organ and the result are the two successive modes of the cognizer related as cause and effect. The distinction between an organ and its result is also thus determined modally. It is the cognizer that cognizes the object, and is subject to the cessation of ignorance. In other words, the cognizer that is transformed into cognition is identical with the cognizer that is transformed into the result. From ihis standpoin! there exists an identity between the organ and the result. Considered in the light of relativity there does not exist an absolute difference between the moments of the organ and the result because both of them belong to the same stream of consciousness; nor are they absolutely identical because there is temporal succession and cause-effect relationship. The immediate direct effect of the organ is the cussation of ignorance whereas the subsequent concepts of acceptance, rejection or indifference are the indirect consequences. On the cessation of ignorance the cognizer accepts some object, rejects or remains indifferent with respect to others. The incidental result of omniscience is pure indifference, because the onniscient, on account of his having got rid of all desires, is absolutely free from the acts of acceptance and rejection,
Division of Organs of Knowledge
The organs of knowiedge are divided into two classes, direct (pratyaksa) and indirect (paroksa). These two ciasses have been conceived on the basis of the twofold aspects of the sensuous and super-sensuous objects. The dictum that the establishment of an object is dependent on the valid organ of knowledge can be stated reversely as 'the classification of the valid organs of knowledge is dependent on the nature of the object'. The super-sensuous objects are perceived directly (by the soul) whereas the sensory objects are perceived indirectly (by means of the senses). The two classes of organs of knowledge came to be formulated in this manner. Jinabhadragani Ksamāśramaņa also has approved of this principle of classifying knowledge on the basis of the classification of the objects as super-sensuous and sensuous.20
The Buddhist logician also has divided the organs of knowledge into two classes on account of the twofold character of the object.21 Two fundamental aspects of cognition are recognised by