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A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
reference to its substance, place, time and nature and beyond the capacity of the normal sense-organs.?
. OBJECT OF AVADHIJÑANA The avadhijñāna has limitations with reference to its objects in the light of the substance, place, time and nature.
(1) With reference to the substance it can apprehend the minutest particle and also it can extend its knowledge to the cosmos.
(2) With reference to space one can get avadhijñāna from the smallest part of the finger to the knowlege o' the entire cosmos. . It is possible to get avadhijñāna on the basis of the knowledge of the cosmos and imagine similar stellar universes,
(3) With reference to time avadhijñina can cognise to the minutest part of the period called avalika. And for the duration of the entire innumerable avasarpini and utsarpini periods.
(4) With reference to the nature of the object known through avadhijñāna, we can say that one can have clairvoyance cognition with reference to the mildest psychic mode to the entire clustre of modes. L ELIGIBLE BEING FOR AVADHIJÑANA
The living beings in the four states of existence are eligible for getting avadhiiñāna. Gods (residents in heaven) and hellish beings get avadhijñāna by birih. Therefore it is bhavapratyaya.2 Men and the animals get avadhijñāna due to efforts, it is gunaprutyaya. In the case of the beings in heaven and hell avadhijñāna is to be found n them by birth. They need not do any mental and moral practice for obtaining it. But this is not the case with human beings and the animals. In the case of human beings avadhijñāna is possible through mental and moral discipline. Men have to practice vratas, and they get avadhijñāna through the acquisition of merit. The avadhi of the human
1 Nan disutra, sūtra 28, p. 13 edited by Punyavijayaji 2 (a) Tattvārthasūtra 1, 21-22
(b) Sthānanga 71 (c) Nandīsūtra, sūtra 13, p. 10, Puṇyavijayaji.
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