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Knowledge In Jainism : An Overview
Samyag jñāna: two forms
We find two forms of samyagjñāna (right knowledge) in Jaina literature. First form of samyagjñāna is included in the trio-jewels (samygjñāna, samyagdarśana and samyak cāritra) which lead to the path of salvation. This samyagjñāna is linked with samyagdarśana (right view). In the presence of right view the existing knowledge converts into samyag-jñāna (Sarvārtha siddhi, 1.1.7). On the contrary in the presence of mithyādarśana or midhyātva (deluded view) the existing knowledge is called as ajñāna or mithyā-jñāna. Mithyādarśana: is a perverted or deluded view of a soul which leads to mundane world and samyag-darśana leads a soul to the path of salvation. This is the first form of Samyag-jñāna found in Jaina canons and latter literature.
The second form of samyag-jñāna is found only in the epistemological literature, when Jaina philosophers define pramāņa (an organ of valid knowledge) as samyag-jñāna“Samyag-jñānam pramāņam."! Vidyānanda (775-840 A.D.) and Abhinava-dharmabhusana have given definition of pramāņa as samyagjñāna, but here samyag-jñāna is not linked with the inevitable presence of samyag-darśana. In defining pramāņa samyag-jñāna has another characteristic i.e. devoidness of doubt (samśaya), illusion (viparyaya) and indeterminateness (anadhyavasāya). The knowledge determining the self and the object and devoidness of doubt, illusion and indeterminateness is called pramāna."
''Tattvārtha Sūtra, 1.1 "Pramāna-parīksā, p.1 & Nyāyadīpikā, p.9. "Pramānāmīmāmsā 1.1.1. Vrtti & Nyāya-kumuda-candra, Vol. I p.4.8: Prakarsena samśayādi-vyavachedena mīyate parichidyate vastutattvam yena tat pramānam pramāyām sādhakatamam.
