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Misurfderstanding vis-a-vis Understanding with reference to Jainism : 139
both.
There are six ultimate substances or eternal Reals in the Jaina metaphysicslo : 1. Jiva (Soul), 2. Pudgala (matter), 3. Dharma (medium of motion), 4. Adharma (medium of rest), 5. Ākāśa (space) and 6. Kāla (Time). Out of these six reals Jiva is the only sentient real while rest of the five are non-sentient. Further, it is also said that among the six, the five are Astikāya and one falls under Anastikāya. Astikāya means extendable while Anastikāya is not supposed to be extended. Jīva, Pudgala, Dharma, Adharma and Ākāśa are astikāya while time in included in Anastikāya. All these are unique one in the history of Indian philosophy.
The nature of Reality in Jaina Philosophy is both permanence and change. Truth has infinite aspects. It is of two types -- immediate and mediate. Only an Omniscient observer can obtain the immediate knowledge of an object in its totality. But an imperfect or an ordinary man knows one or a few aspects, and possess partial knowledge. The aim of Indian philosophers is to discard this partiality and attain ominiscience, which is only possible for the complete destruction of the causes of ajñāna or wrong knowledge or nescience. In view of Jainism it is a process or spiritual development or forwarding to a path of liberation.
It is well established fact that the early discussion on the Jaina theory of knowledge is dominated with the same spirit. The path for spiritual progress, aiming at the final goal of liberation is the central tone of the Āgamas.'' Knowledge in this period is not valued on the merit of logical validity but as a means for the ethical progress. Jñāna (knowledge) is one of the constituents of the path of mokşa, 18 and the knowledge which does not help in achieving that goal is included as ajñāna or mithyājñāna (perverted knowledge).19 The difference between jñāna and ajñāna or mithyājñāna is not objective but subjective.20 The cognition of a samyagdrsti whether it is logically correct or incorrect is always samyagjñāna. Similarly, the cognition of mithyadrști is always ajñāna or mithyājñāna.
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