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Historical Development of Jaina Philosophy and Religion
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concept of Pramāṇas on the base of five-fold (perception ), Anumāna ( inference ) and Agama knowledge of Jaina Agamas. According to Nyāya- (verbal testimony ), refers to the old Sankhya System. śāstra, the cognition originated from Mind (mānasa. While mention of four pramāṇas including Upamāna janya jñāna ) is of two types --- Pratyaksa and (comparison ) belongs to Naiyāyikas. It clearly shows Parokşa. The knowledge originated from mind which that by the end of c. 5th A. D. the concept of Pramāņa experiences pleasure and pain, is Direct knowledge as an independent concept was not developed in (pratyaksa) whereas the inference ( anumāna ) and Jainism. The first work which elaborately deals with comparison (upamāna ) are Indirect forms of know- the Pramānaśāstra is Siddhasena's Nyāyāvatāra. The ledge (paroksa ). So having considered sensory-per- period of Siddhasena Divākara is fixed as c. 4th-5th ception of Matijñāna as Sāmvyāvahārika Pratyaksa A. D. Nyāyāvatāra mentions three Āgamic divisions (perception according to common usage ), cognition of Pramāna, i.e., perception, inference and verbal based on intellect ( Bauddhika Jñāna ) as inference testimony (Agama ). Though Siddhasena has expre( anumāna ) and verbal testimony ( Śrutajñāna ) as ssed briefly the Jaina opinion on the Nyāya-śāstra of Āgama pramāņa. Jainas synthesized the conception Sānkhya and Nyāya but he has followed mostly the of five-fold knowledge with the Pramānaśāstra of the old tradition, accepted by Jaina Āgamas. At some other schools of Indian philosophy. In Anuyoga- places he has only revised the definitions of Pramāna dvārasutra, Pratyakṣa is divided in two heads, i. e., of other schools on the basis of Jaina theory of Non(1) perception originated from sense-organs (indriya- absolutism (Anekāntavāda ). janya ) and ( 2 ) perception originated from quasi
Nyāyāvatāra clearly follows the Āgamic trasense-organs ( no-indriya ). Quasi-sense originated
dition, as far as the description of Pramāra is concerperception included avadhi, manah-paryaya and
ned. It, no where, mentions the later developed conkevalajñāna. This concept of knowledge carries the
cept of Smsti ( memory), Pratyabhijñā ( recognition ) same meaning as the one, conveyed by the transcen
and Tarka ( indirect proof : tarka is not by itself, a dental knowledge in other philosophical traditions.
source of valid knowledge, though it is valuable in The distinction between ordinary perception (Laukika
suggesting hypothesis which leads indirectly to right Pratyaksa ) and Transcendental perception (Alaukika
knowledge ) as Pramāna. This proves that NyāyāPratyakșa ) of Vaišeșikas is accepted by the Jainas
vatāra is undoubtedly an ancient text compiled by under the name of Sāṁvyāvahārika and Pāramār
Siddhasena Divākara. After Nyāyāvatāra, the literary thika Pratyaksa and was synthesized later on with their
works which discuss the concept of Pramāņa are conception of five-fold knowledge (pañcajñānavāda).
Pūjyapāda's Sarvārthasiddhi (c. 6th A. D. ) of According to Pt. Dalasukha Malvania the Digambara tradition, Siddhasenagani's commentary Āgamic period (c. 5th A. D. ) has no trace of any on Tattvärtha-bhāsya (c. 7th A. D.) and Haribhadra's independent discussion over Pramāņa. Till that period Anekāntajayapatākā (c. 8th A. D.) of Svetāmbara Jainācāryas have collected the opinions of other philo- tradition. In these works there is no trace of Pramāna sophical schools in their treatises. In the correspon- like Smộti etc. This concept is discussed for the first ding period a number of traditions on the types of time in the works of Akalanka ( c. 8th A. D.) and Pramāna were prevalent. Jaina Agamas refer tradi- Siddharși's commentary on Nyāyāvatāra (c. 9th A. tions of three and four types of Pramānas. The D.) of Digambara and Śvetämbara traditions, respecmention of three types of Pramānas - Pratyaksa tively. The independent development of Jaina Nyāya
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