Sramana 1998 01

Author(s): Ashokkumar Singh, Shivprasad, Shreeprakash Pandey
Publisher: Parshvanath Vidhyashram Varanasi

Page 107

१०६ श्रमण/जनवरी-मार्च/१९९८ awareness. though we are not quite sure of the distinctive characters. We approximately grasp the distinctive features. For instance, in sensation we simply hear a sound and do not know the nature thereof. There we have a mere acquaintance of the sound. In speculation we are able to cognise the nature of the sound to a great extent. The Tattvārthabhāșya differentiates sensation and speculation as follows: 'Sensation cognises only a part of the object, while speculation cognises the rest and strives for the determination of a specific feature'? Sensation, according to it, is an indistinct awareness of the object, that is why it cognises only a part of its object, while speculation is a distinct cognition, and hence, it knows the rest and strives for the determination of the particular character of its object.
Perception is third variety of non-verbal sensory comprehension. It follows in the wake of speculation. The enquiry that begins in the state of speculation attains completion at this stage. In speculation our mental state tends towards the enquiry for the right and the wrong and in perception we attain the stage of the ascertainment of the right and the exclusion of the wrong. In other words, perception is a determinate cognition of the specific feature of an object. It arises from the exclusion of the wrong and the ascertainment of the right. Now, how does perception involve the ascertainment of the existent specific feature and the exclusion of the non-existent character? Take the same instance of sound. On hearing the sound, the person determines that this sound must be of a conch and not of a horn, since it is accompanied by sweetness which is the quality of conch, and not by harshness which is the quality of horn. This type of ascertainment of the existent specific feature of an object is called perception."
Retention follows in the wake of perception. At this stage the determination that took place at the stage of perception is retained. The Nandi-sūrta defines retention as the act of retaining a perceptual judgment for a number of instants, numerable or innumerable.” According to the Tattvārtha-bhāsya, retention is the final determination of the object, retention of the cognition and recognition of the object in the future. Thus, according to the opinion of Umāsvāti, retention develops through three stages. Firstly, the nature of the object is finally