Book Title: Reals on the Jaina Metaphysics
Author(s): Harisatya Bhattacharya
Publisher: Shatnidas Khetsy Charitable Trust Mumbai

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Page 267
________________ 252 Reals in the Jaina Metaphysics doctrine that Manas is the evolute from the Pradhäna or primal matter. As already pointed out, according to the Jaina's, Manas is instrumental in generating a thought about the various aspects of a thing (Guņa-Dosa-Viçāra). Such a thought is a conscious process, Manas is said to evolve from Pradhāna, but Pradhāna itself being essentially unconscious, its evolutes also are necessarily unconscious, so that it becomes impossible for the Manas to help in any way the conscious process of thinking'. NyĀYA THEORY OF MANAS According to the thinkers of the Nyāya school, Smrti (recollection), Anumāna (inference), Agama (knowledge from hearing words), Saṁsaya (dubitation), Prātibha (a curious apprehension which is unconnected with any internal or external sources of knowledge), Svapna-jñāna (dream-consciousness), Uhā (a sort of hypothetical reasoning), feelings of pleasure etc., volition etc., prove the reality of the principle, Manas. Besides these, the existence of Manas is also proved by the fact that our cognitions arise successively and never simultaneously. Closely connected with the above theory is the unequivocal contention of the Nyāya philosophers that Manas is a Karaṇa (instrument), an Indriya (a sense-organ). NYAYA CRITICISM OF THE SAMKHYA DOCTRINE OF MANAS The Sāṁkhya thinkers also, as we have seen, held that Manas was Antah-karaṇa or internal sense. By this, however, they meant that Manas which they sometimes identified with Buddhi or Mahat and which they sometimes held to be an evolute of Ahankāra was itself the seat of all knowledge. The Nyāya philosophers criticise this doctrine of the Sāmkhya school and point out that all knowledge is essentially but consciousness, --so that if, as according to * As the author of the Rāja-Vārtika says-- 'प्रधानमचेतनं तद्विकाराश्च तदात्मकाः इति घटवदचेतनस्य तस्य गुणदोष-विचारणादिसाचिव्याभावः।' Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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