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śramaņa January-June 2002
It will be interesting to note that the Jaina theory of knowledge passed through different stages of development. It is a story of the progress of a thought. The Jaina theory of knowledge takes its birth from the stray ideas in the Āgamas. In that stage the development is pure and unalloyed. It is observed that in the stage of Niryūktis the idea of two fold divisional usurps in; which is an external influence, yet the spirit of Āgamas dominates. Then, we have Anuyoga where the fivefold division of the Āgamas goes into back and the fourfold division of the Nyāya22 comes into prominence. Umāsvāti reverts to the position of Niryūktis and stresses upon the twofold division,23 which was finally accepted.
In the case of subdivision of knowledge Umāsvāti takes all the factors of subject, instrument, object and clarity into account. 24 Later on the subject is dropped altogether. The clarity is confined to the division of pratyaksa and parokṣa only. The logicians take into account the two factors of instrument and object only 25 Out of them the latter is not so powerful as the former. Thus, the development of the Jaina division of knowledge passes through various phases. Sometimes, free from the external influence, then slightly mixed with it then losing its originality into the latter, again establishing its originality and then constructing a parallel system of logical development.
The Jaina division of knowledge as has been stated above varies according to the amount of external influence. The basis of division also undergoes various changes accordingly. Lastly, the knowledge in affixed in five types -- 1. Mati, 2. Śruta, 3. Avadhi, 4. Manahparyāa and 5. Kevalajñāna. Out of the five types of knowledge the last three, are related with pure intuition. They are attained as super-natural powers and not through psychological process. The second of the remaining two i.e. Śruta is limited to scriptures. It also does not possess any importance as far as the psychology of knowledge is concerned. It is Mati that covers the whole range of cognition as far as modern psychology is concerned.
The entire process beginning with contiguity of senses and the object, upto the subconscious impressions which are capable of rising
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