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128 :: Structure and Functions of Soul in Jainism
and clairaudience) is in direct contradiction to the assumption of all the psychologists that there can be no sensory knowledge without the use of sense organs and that all knowledge of the external world comes to us through the gate ways of senses.'l H.H. Price also observes: 'The evidence for telepathy and clairvoyance is both abundant and good, and the evidence for precognition—the most paradoxical, perhaps, of all the supernormal phenomena is very considerable.'? Mc Dougall observes: ‘The ancient belief in clairvoyance seems also in a fair way established. Further, precognition and foresight or events that lie in the future is also under experimental investigation that seems to promise positive results." He at another place, very hopefully asserts; 'In my view the evidence for telepathy is very strong, and I foretell with considerable confidence that it will become stronger and stronger the more we investigate and sift the evidence.'4 Though we do not get decisive evidence in favour of the direct type of knowledge still there is nothing which may obstruct its possibility. Jainism thinks that knowledge is an essential attribute of the soul and the limitations to its pure function are due to causes alien to the soul's structure. In sensuous knowledge the limitation is so effected that the instrumentality of the senses becomes nécessary. With further attenuations of the obstructions it is also possible that the soul may refuse the instrumentality of the senses and tend to attain its self-determined function.
Avadhi and Manaḥparyaya Types or Direct Knowledge
Jainism includes three types under direct knowledge They are clairvoyance (avadli), telepathy (manahparyaya), and perfect knowledge (kevala-jñāna). All of these can
1. B.L. Atreya: An Introduction to Para Psychology, (2nd edition), p. 11 2. H.H. Price: “Questions about Telepathy and Clairvovance', Philoso
phy, October, 1940 3. Mc Dougall: Riddle of Life, p. 235 4. Mc Dougall: Religion and Science of Life, p. 80
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