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Jaina Logic & Epistemology
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THE JAINA THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE
The Jainas have developed a systematic theory of knowledge which analyses the problems, like the nature of knowledge, the relation of knowledge to the self and the types of knowledge.
Upayoga is the essential characteristics of the soul. In the Gommața-sara Jivakanda, Upayoga is described as the drive which leads to the apprehension of the objects. 38 It is the source of the psychical aspect of experience. All the three aspects-cognitive, affective and conative spring from it. It is described as that by which the subject is grasped.39 In my book Some problems in Jaina Psychology, I have interpreted Upayoga as "harmic energy” which is responsible for the flow of knowledge and intuition. Jñana and Darśana spring from Upayoga.40 The Āgamas make a clear distinction between Jnana and Darsana from the empirical and transcendental points of view. He says that Ātman, its knowledge (Jnana) and intuition (Darsana)-All these are identical and they reveal the self and the non-self.41 Upayoga has been distinguished as Anakara Upayoga which is to be identified with Darsana and Sakāra Upayoga which is Jñana. 42 Ācārya Virasena in his commentary, Dhavala, on s'atkhandagama of Puşpadanta says "What comprehends an external object of the nature of the universal-cumparticular is Iñana, and comprehension of the self-same nature is darśana'.43 The awareness of one's self which shows the striving for knowledge, and the subsequent determinate knowledge is Jñana. The self-same consciousness is called darsana as well as Jñana when it is referred to the self or the object of cognition.
Knowledge is inherent in the self. It is the essential characteristic of the self. But the relation need not be construed as the relation of substance and attribute in term of Nyd yavais eşika theory. From the practical point of view, however, we may distinguish between self and knowledge and say that self has knowledge. But from the noumenal point of view there is no distinction between knowledge and self.44 Knowledge and self are intimately connected and we may say that from the noumenal point of view they are identical.
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