Book Title: Tulsi Prajna 1975 07
Author(s): Mahavir Gelada
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

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Page 77
________________ meant by naturalism and nonnaturalism. I set forth the following characteristics : Characteristics of Naturalism (1) Naturalism is that kind of doctrine which accepts sense experience as the most impor tant avenue of knowledge. (2) Naturalism does not believe in esoteric, innate or intutive or mystical knowledge. (3) The naturalist believes that the external world is an obje ctive reality. (4) The naturalist believes that the world manifests order and regularity and this order cannot be changed by magic, sacrifice or prayer or human effort. what manner can we become aware in and through our mind of ourselves and of others who are infinite individuals like us ? What are the modes of cognition or categories of thought ? What are, in other words, 'demonstrable facts' relating to a concrete in dividual a distinguished from the ‘probable? According to Jainism the demonstrable facts are five (Pancasthi Kaya). They are : (1) Dharma (Dhamma ) or sensedata, (2) Adharma ( Adhamma ) or data other than those furni. shed by the senses, (3) Akasa (Agasa ) or space, (4) Jiva or soul. (5) Pudgala ( Puggala ) or matter.? Each one of these demonstrable facts is to be understood according to the following categories. (1) Dravya ( dabba ) or Substance; (2) Guna or Attribute; (3) Kshetra ( Khetta ) or field of action; (4) Pradesa ( Padesa ) or division; (5) Kala or Time; (6) Paryayah ( Pajjava ) or causal relations and (7) Parinama or Transformation. In view of the fact that there is nowhere to be found in the older scriptures of Jainism any systematic exposition of the theory of knowledge we proceed to the subsequent literature. In Samavayanga the five demonstrable facts ( Pancasti Kaya ) are spoken of as being immutable, permanent or eternal elements of (5) According to Naturalism man is a biological product but not a reflection of God. In contrast with this set of characteristics of naturalism, nonnaturalism shares the belief that there are more valuable avenues of kpowledge than mere senseexperience. At once Jainism exhibits both these characteristics, And it is my purpose here to show how Jainism exhibits a non-naturalistic epistemology and a naturalistic metaphysics. 1 Jaina Epistemology The problems of epistemology, according to Pujya Pada Mahavira, are: What and in gast 951-3 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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