New Dimensions in Jaina Logic

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

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150 New Dimensions in Jaina Logic
known by the ordinary normal sense-organs. The scientist today has invented instruments like microscope, telescope and X-rays, through which we can study the subtle matter or objects hidden from the senses or situated at a distance and unknown in the past. The modern scientist, however, is not conversant with the power of the soul capable of knowing such objects by its faculty of supersensuous perception. But he has invented physical instruments capable of performing the task of knowing the subtle, concealed and remote. A philosopher has to go a step farther and utilise the experience of the yogins of ancient times and the discoveries of modern science to arrive at a comprehensive truth, integrating all the valuable contributions of yoga and science. But philosophy at present is not performing this function. It should be appreciated that whereas on the one hand logic produced some good results, it is also responsible for stalemate and stagnation of knowledge and thought in some ways. Today super-sensory experience is a suspect. We have let the lucid intervals of super-sensuous perceptions go in vain. There are two such occasions
(1)We some time pass on a problem to the sub-conscious mind which continues acting on it for some time and then suddenly the solution flashes across the mind in a dream. This possibility of discovering new truths and solutions through dreams by sowing seed of the problem in the sub-conscious mind in a semi-conscious state, has been abandoned by the modern philosophers. (2) Another occasion for such flash presents itself at a moment of pure intuition. A moment may come in our life when we are in a state of absolute equilibrium of mind free from the influence of reason and discursive thought. At such lucid interval there dawns an enlightenment that is spontaneous and revealer of facts unknown and hitherto considered impossible of being known.
These two possibilities were living issues before the ancient philosopher and he applied them in the discovery of truth. Modern science also has attempted to throw light on these two possibilities. In non-conceptual consciousness or pure intuition the sublter states of the mind become active and present solutions of penetrating problems. Even in the state of dreams the gross consciousness becomes inactive. At that state the subtle consciousness comes in touch with the minute truth. I cannot believe that such power is absent in a modern philosopher. This power lies hidden under the faculty of discursive thought and the philosopher has become more a logician than an intuitionist. His power of observation lies