Nyaya And Jaina Epistemology

Author(s): Kokila H Shah
Publisher: Sharadaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

Page 56

COMMON SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE....
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Here, Nyāya seems to recognize the fundamental fact about knowledge that it involves both sensation and conception. The extreme view held by some of the systems like Cārvaka and Visiştādvaita Vedānta of Rāmānuja that all perception is determinate is difficult to accept. Most of the Jaina logicians also accept both these forms of the perception. Nyāya while recognizing these two forms of perception; makes it clear that same reality is presented at indeterminate stage which is there at the determinate stage of perception.
Recognition
The third variety of the ordinary perception is termed as pratyabhijñā which is re-cognition of same object. It is cognition of an object as that which was cognized before. Here, present perception is qualified by past perception. The thing which we perceive at present is known to be perceived in past, e. g. “This is the same man that I saw'.
In Jainism, pratyabhijñā is understood in different sense and it is regarded as a different kind of knowledge and not a form of perception. Nyāya concept of comparison or upamāna can be included under the concept of pratyabhijñā as understood by the Jainas.
Extraordinary perception
It is of three distinct kinds :1. The perception of classes – sāmānyalaksaņa 2. Acquired perception – jñānalaksaņa