World Of Jainism

Author(s): Vishwanath Pandey
Publisher: Vishwanath Pandey

Page 66

64
THE ORIENT
finally tadarammana, registering consciousness. The last stage marks the termination of the process of cognition.
Inference
After surveying the nature and stages of perception, it is necessary to discuss the process of inference here; for, as stated above, mati-jnana includes both perception as well as inference. According to this scheme memory (smriti), recognition (sanjna), discursive thought (cinta), and perception cognition (abhinibodha) are regarded as anindriya-pratyaksa or quasi-sensuous or mental perception. Although Jainism goes against other systems of Indian philosophy in considering mati-jnana (perceptual knowledge) as indirect (paroksa), it is in confirmity with other systems when it regards inference (anumana) as indirect (paroksha) source of knowledge. Inferential knowledge is regarded as indirect by all systems of Indian philosophy.
The Jaina theory of inference is very similar to that of other systems of Indian thought. Like other systems, it classifies inference into two kinds: (1) inference for self (svarthanumana) and (2) inference for another (pararthanumana). Further, it accepts two types of syllogism, categorical and hypothetical. A categorical type of syllogism consists of five propositions, namely (1) the thesis (pratijna), reason (hetu) example (dristanta), application (upanaya), and conclusion (nigamana). The most important characteristic of the Jaina theory of inference is, perhaps, its introduction of ten-membered or ten-proposition syllogism, although it does not enhance the value of deduction. It makes the process more cumbersome. However, it is worth quoting an example of ten-numbered syllogism:
1. Non-injury to life is the greatest virtue (pratijna). 2. Non-injury to life is the greatest virtue according to
the Jaina scriptures (pratijna-vibhakti). 3. Those who adhere to non-injury are loved by gods and
it is meritorious to do them honour (hetu). 4. Those who do so are the only persons who can live in the
highest places of virtue (hetu-vibhakti). But even by doing injury one may prosper and even by reviling Jaina scriptures one may attain merit as is the case with Brahmins (vipaksa). It is not so, it is impossible that those who despise Jaina scriptures should be loved by gods or should deserve honour (vipaksa-pratisedha). The Arhats take food from house-holders as they do not like to cook themselves for fear of killing insects
(dristanta). 8. But the sins of the house holders should touch the
Arhats, for they cook for them (Asanka).