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MATI-JNĀNA : AVAGRAHA
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avalambanatā (grasping), and medhā (gradual awareness). Umāsvāti, however, gives the following synonyms: avagraha (receiving), graha, grahana, ālocana (intuition) and avadhārana (holding).2 Avagraha can be of two kinds viz. vyañjanāvagraha (contact-awareness) and arthāvagraha (object-perception). The Nandi Sutra does not clearly define avagraha, but only clarifies the implication by illustrations. It seems to quote Āvaśyakaniryukti of Bhadrabāhu, which defines avagraha as 'cognition of sense-data' (atthānam uggahanan). It also states that avagraha is instantaneous, that is, it lasts only for one instant which is an infinitesimal and further indivisible point of time, beyond ordinary human conception. But it is to be understood that this instantaneousness relates to arthāvagraha (object-perception) and not to vyañjanāvagraha (contact-awareness) which continues for an asamkhyeya (countless) number of instants, gradually proceeding towards the plane of consciousness. Suppose, for instance, that a man is asleep and is to be awakened by call. The sound, which the Jaina thinkers regard as composed of material atoms, of the call reaches his ears and he is awakened. But the sound-atoms reach his ears in succession, and countless instants elapse before the ears are sufficiently saturated with these atoms so that the person may be awakened to consciousness. As soon as the person becomes conscious, vyañjanavagraha (contact-awareness) is over as then there occurs arthāvagraha
object-perception) which lasts, as has already been stated, only for one instant. Now the question is whether this object-perception is determinate or indeterminate. Contact-awareness, as we have seen, is only stirring of the consciousness. It is only awakening of consciousness. Of the five sense-organs, the sense-organ of sight is incompetent for contact-awareness inasmuch as there is no physical contact between this sense-organ and its object viz. coloured shape (rūpa). Contact-awareness is possible only when there is physical contact between the sense-organ and its object. On the same ground the mind (manas) is also incompetent for contact-awareness. Thus there can be only four types of it, there being left only four sense-organs viz. ear, taste, smell and touch competent to have contact-awareness. Objectperception, however, is possible by all the five sense-organs as well as the mind, and consequently can be of six types. According to Umāsvāti and Jinabhadra, both of whom are staunch supporters of Agamic conceptions, avagraha is indeterminate cognition. So far as
1 NSū, 30. 2 TSūBh, I. 15. 3 NSü, 27; TSū, I. 17-18 ; Vibh, 193.
4 NSú, 36 (gäthā 83. Cf. ViBh, 179. We give this number instead of the serial number of the găthā of the Āvaśyakaniryukti for convenience of reference).
5 NSü, 36 (gāthā 84). Cf. Vibh, 333. 6 See Vibh, gāthās 333 with the Sisyahita Brhadurtti. Also see NSü, 35. 7 NSA, 29; Vibh, 204.
8 See NSi, 29.
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