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A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
) PRAMANAVADA
The Jainas presented the theory of anekāntadrsti for understanding the infinite varieties of the universe. They said that reality is complex and substance has its infinite modes and aspects. The ekānta point of view i. e., the one-sided point of view cannot understand the complexity of the universe. The various points of view by which the universe was looked at and understood presents the pramāna śāstra of the Jainas. It refers to the naya and pramanu and we have already discussed this topic in detail.
The Vedāntin has mentioned five pramānas for the sake of understanding the noumenal and phenomenal truth : 1. pratyakşa 2. anumāna, 3. upamāna, 4. agama and 5. arthāpatti. From a very broad point of view the Jaina conception of pramāna appears to be different from that of the Vedāntic conception. However, if we look at it very closely we find that there are not much discrepanceies and differencys between the pramiņas. They present the same sense.
We have seen that the Jainas have mentioned pratyakpa and paroksz as two primānas for understanding the noumenal and the phenomenal truths. Pratyaksa is the direct knowledge. We have also seen that the terminology was adopted with modifications for the sake of consistent view of epistemology in the light of other schools of thought. Jainas used the term nijapratyakşa and sānhvyāvahārika pratyaksa. According to the Jainas parokșa jñāna can be classified into 1. smrti (memory), 2. pratyabhijñā (recognition), 3, tarka (hypothetical reason) 4. anumāna (inference) and 5. āgama (testimony). Vedāntin does not use the word apratyaksa or parokşa, although the pramānas--anumana, upamāna, agama and arthāpptti are indirect ways of cognition. Anumāna and agamas are considered to be independent pramānas according to Vedānta. Jainas have classified as parokşa praināxa. Upamāna of the Vedāntin is analogous to the pratyabhijñā of the Jainas. The Vedāntic conception of arthāpatti refers to the implication involved in the perception and the consequent implication for the sake of clarification. As we find in the Mimārsakas for example, that Devadatta is getting fatter everyday although Devadatta is fasting
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