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Society, Epistemology and Logic in Indian Tradition
In Vedanta philosophy complete destruction of ignorance has been accepted as a means of eternal liberation (mokṣa)* and knowledge (vidya) is the means for achieving it. Samkhya Philosophy accepts two kinds of knowledge. One is reffered as buddhi or mahat which is a product of prakṛti (unconscious element) and another is reffered as a characteristic of a puruşa (conscious element) in the form of Viveka (distinguishing Knowledge) which is helpful in obtaining salvation from sufferings forever. Sensuous knowledge is an activity of prakṛti gaining a shadow of puruşa whereas distinguishing knowledge is a characteristic of conscious purușa.
Knowledge: a characteristic of a soul
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In Jaina philosophy knowledge (jñāna) is accepted as an essential, natural, identical and inseparable characteristic of a soul. Jaina philosophers do not accept a soul without knowledge. It is an inevitable characteristic of a soul, which represents the consciousness and without consciousness a soul cannot be defined. In the Nyāya-Vaiśesika philosophies, knowledge is not considered as a natural characteristic of a soul. They consider it as an attribute which remains in a soulsubstance due to relation of inherence and in the state of salvation this attribute of consciousness vanishes from that soul. Jaina philosophers refute this notion. The Jaina philosophers have similarity to some extent with the Vedāntins. Vedāntins define Brahma or Atman as 'Saccidānanda' (Vedāntasāra,33). Here 'cit' (cid) is the synonym of knowledge and consciousness. According to Jaina text Uttaradhyayana
'Nyāyamakaranda p. 336: avidyāstamayo mokṣaḥ
