New Dimensions in Jaina Logic

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

Page 9

I
Jaina Logic of the Agama Period
Knowledge and the Known
Discussion on valid knowledge occupies a foremost place in Indian philosophy, and it is followed by a treatment of the nature of reality. Knowledge and reality are the fundamental constituents of logic. Reality is determined by knowledge. Isvarakṛṣṇa opines that reality is proved by knowledge (prameyasiddhih pramănaddhi). Acarya Akalanka also holds the same view. Reality possesses its independent existence, but its proof depends upon knowledge. Until and unless the nature of knowledge is ascertained, reality cannot be established. Hence the science of knowledge (sciences of tarka, ānvikṣiki or nyaya) is invariably dealt at length at the outset of philosophy.
In the Agama texts the discussion of knowledge precedes that dealing with the object of knowledge. In the Pravacanasara Acārya Kundakunda has propounded the chapter of knowledge prior to that dealing with the object of knowledge. Similarly the Anuyogadvara and Nandisutra also begin with aphorisms dealing with knowledge.
The object of knowledge is truth. Knowledge is the means to know it. Truth exists in itself. It neither depends upon the knowledge of the knower nor does it originate from it. Consciousness (caitanya) also has its independent existence. It neither depends upon the object of knowledge, nor does it owe its origin to it. When something is known by consciousness, it becomes a case of knowledge, and that which is known becomes the object of knowledge. Consciousness is endowed with the capacity to know, and so it becomes knowledge. By the same logic, the object is competent to be known, so it becomes the object of knowledge. Hence the Jaina philsophers have discussed epistemology prior to ontology.
There are two views about the object of cognition (prameya). Some systems acknowledge the reality of the object known, whereas others deny it; but this does not hold good in the case of knowledge. The reality as well as the unreality of the object known are established by knowledge. The discussion on knowledge, therefore, is essential at the outset.