Part 2.2 - Right knowledge (samyak jnana)

[Full title: Fundamental Principles of Jainism (2): Right knowledge (samyak jnana)]

Samyak jnana can only be acquired after attainment of samyak darsana. After these two only, samyak caritra is possible. For liberation, one need to know the existing position, what is to be known (jneya mimamsa) and then, consider what needs to be done for going ahead (caritra mimamsa). Therefore, equal importence is given to both knowledge and conduct in Jainism. The complete knowledge of an entity (e.g. a pot) could be attained as per Tattvarthasutra^[1], by nama niksepa (name), sthapana niksepa (symbol), dravya niksepa (past or original state) and bhava niksepa (present state).

Jainism talks of five types of knowledge^[2] which are pramanas (valid know-ledge) as mentioned Tattvarthasutra. Each one of them is explained below:

1. Intellectual and cognitive knowledge (matijnana)
2. Scriptural and articulate knowledge (srutajnana)
3. Clairvoyance or extra-sensory knowledge (avadhijnana)
4. Mind reading capability or Telepathy (manahparyayajnana)
5. Omniscience, ultimate knowledge (kevalajnana)

This knowledge is of two types. The first two are indirect knowledge and others are direct as per Tattvarthasutra^[3]. In other words, matijnana and srutajnana are paroksa pramana (indirect Perception), as they are attained through external factors like senses and mind^[4]. The other three avadhi, manahparyaya and kevalajnana are pratyaksa pramana (modes of direct knowledge). Each one is explained below:

a) Matijnana: This knowledge is empirical and gained through senses. It includes intellect, memory, recognition, reasoning and deduction. This knowledge, also called as abhinibodhika jnana arises in four stages, namely avagraha or apprehension (one comes to know that something exists), Iha or faint perception (one gets vague idea whether a rope or snake is there), avaya or comprehension (one confirms that it is rope) and dharana or imprint (one retains impression of rope, if it is not there). Six organs of senses i.e. five organs of perception and mind are involved in gaining knowledge in these four stages. Thus, considering all combinations, there are 24 ways of gaining this knowledge.

b) Srutajnana:

This knowledge is conceptualized through language. It is ac-quired by reading texts, scriptures or by oral instructions from the authorized persons. Srutajnana^[5] is preceded by matijnana (sensory knowledge) and is of many types. The person having both matijnana and srutajnana knows all dravyas, areas, kala and bhava. Such person is known as srutakevali.

c) Avadhijnana: (Clairvoyance)

It is a direct means of knowledge and is perception of things that are out of the natural range of senses. This extra sensory knowledge is acquired specifically by Yogis and is of two types^[6] :

i) Bhavapratyaya^[7] :

This clairvoyance is associated with a particular state of existence and arises to all heavenly and infernal beings.

ii) Gunapratyaya^[8] :

This knowledge is a result of eradication and purification of karma and is of six types on basis of internal purity. These are anugamika (clairvoyance stays with the person wherever he goes), ananugamika (restricted to certain areas), vardhamana (increasing level of clairvoyance), hiyamana (decreasing level), avasthita (steady level, continues) and anavasthita (fluctuating, unsteady).

The scope of clairvoyanace is the substance which has a shape (the matter)^[9].

d) Manahparyaya jnana^[10] :

This is also direct means of gaining the knowledge . It is the act of seeing the objects of other’s mind. This also is of two types. Rjumati manahparyaya or simple, where one can read mind upto some extent and vipulamati manahparyaya or comprehensive, where one can read mind upto great extent and it continues till next stage of kevaljnana. Vipulamati is special as compared to Rjumati on account of higher purity and infallibility.

Telepathy (manahparyaya) and clairvoyance (avadhi) differ with regard to purity, space, knower and objects. Telepathy is purer than clairvoyance, but clairvoyance extends to larger space. Those with telepathy maintain special restraint while clairvoyance can be had in all four conditions of existence^[11].

e) Kevalajnana^[12] :

It is the knowledge of all other substances in all their modes. Here, the object is known directly by the soul. With attainment of all other types of knowledge and following various spiritual practices prescribed in the scriptures, gradually partial suppression and elimination of karma takes place. Continuous practice of this takes the aspirant towards the highest kind of knowledge called Omniscience or kevalajnana.

One to four types of knowledge can be held by a soul. But when one holds only one type, it has to be Omniscience (kevalajnana). If two are held, they are sensory and scriptural; in case of three, these are sensory, scriptural and clairvoyance or telepathy; and if four types are held, they are sensory, scriptural, clairvoyance and telepathy.^[13] Kevalajnana can not be lost once it has been received.

Range of sensory and scriptural knowledge can extend to all objects, but relates to a few modes. That of clairvoyance can extend to all tengible objects but relates to some of their modes. That of mind reading capacity can extend only to a small section of tangible objects and relates to only a few modes. But, the scope of omniscience extends to all the objects in all their modes. Other than omniscience, all other categories are mixture of knowledge and ignorance. Omniscience is perfect innate, pure enlightenment.

A person can have at a time minimum one and maximum four types of knowledge out of above five. Matijnana, srutijnana and avadhijnana can be of erroneous and misleading types^[14]. They arise due to lack of discriminating view point. There are five view points (naya) namely common, linear, practical, verbal and literal^[15]. There are many perspectives from which an object or situation can be viewed. All these naya could be broadly classified into two: The first is niscaya naya, which is absolute point of view e.g. the soul can be described as spotlessly pure, where as from worldly viewpoint; it is smeared with karma, which is vyavahara naya, which is practical point of view. Sameway, there are many types, classifications or other subdivisions of naya.

The nine kinds of disposition arising from destruction are the destruction of karmas affecting the knowledge, perception, charity, gain, enjoyment, re-enjoyment, prowess, right belief and conduct^[16].

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

nāmasthapanā dravya bhāvatastannyāsaḥ | T.S.1.5

[2]:

matiśrutāvadhimanaḥ paryaya kevalāni jñānam | Tattvartha-sutra 1.9,
tatpramāṇe | Tattvartha-sutra 1.10, Acharya Umaswati, JAINA and Shrut Ratnakar, Ahmedabad, July, 2007

[3]:

ādye parokṣam | Tattvartha-sutra 1.11,
pratyakṣamanyat | Tattvartha-sutra 1.12

[4]:

tadindriyānindriyanimittam | Tattvartha-sutra 1.14

[5]:

śrutaṃ matipūrvaṃ hyanekadvādaśabhedam | Tattvartha-sutra 1.20

[6]:

Umaswati Maharaj, Shri Tattvarthadhigama Sutra, Part-1, Shri Jain Shreyaskar Mandal, Mehsana, 1959, Chapt.6, sutra p.72

[7]:

bhavapratyayo'vadhirdevanārakāṇām | Tattvartha-sutra 1.21, Acharya Umaswati, JAINA and Shrut Ratnakar, Ahmedabad, July, 2007

[8]:

kṣayopaśamanimittaḥ ṣaḍvikalpaḥ śeṣāṇām |

[9]:

rūpiṣvavadheḥ | Tattvartha-sutra 1.27

[10]:

ṛjuvipulamatī manaḥparyayaḥ | Tattvartha-sutra 1.23

[11]:

viśuddhikṣetrasvāmiviṣayo'vadhimanaḥ paryayayoḥ | Tattvartha-sutra 1.25

[12]:

sarvadravyaparyāyeṣu kevalasya | Tattvartha-sutra 1.29

[13]:

ekādīni bhājyāniyugapadekasminnācaturbhyaḥ | Tattvartha-sutra 1.30

[14]:

matiśrutāvadhayo viparyayaśca | Tattvartha-sutra 1.31

[15]:

naigamasaṃgrahavyavahārarjusūtraśabda samabhirūḍhaivaṃbhūtā nayāḥ | Tattvartha-sutra 1.33

[16]:

jñānadarśanadānalābhabhogopabhogavīryāṇi ca | Tattvartha-sutra 2.4