Chapter 3.4b - Prātibhajñāna –The intuitive knowledge

Note: This text is extracted from the previous chapter regarding the Threefold Yoga: “[...] The obtainment of the omniscience is the result of the yoga by self-exertion, which is coupled with the intuitive knowledge [i.e., Prātibhajñāna]. The state of yoga by self-exertion is a matter of self-experience. [...]”

The intuitive knowledge [i.e., Prātibhajñāna—prātibha-jñāna] is defined as the unprecedented contemplation on doctrinal matters, which promotes a soul on the path that leads to the attainment of liberation.^[1] Technically the intuitive knowledge is the unprecedented contemplation on doctrinal matters that suddenly get manifested due to desired destruction-cum-subsidence of karmans, conducive to omniscience, within the duration of forty eight minutes (i.e. an antarmuhūrta).

Jainism has classified the knowledge into five types. None of them is designated as the intuitive knowledge. It indicates that Jainism either has to add it as the sixth type of knowledge or make it as a part of any of the five types of knowledge. No sacred text of Jainism is found to introduce six types of knowledge. Therefore, it is confirmed that the intuitive knowledge is considered to be a part of any of the five types of knowledge. Haribhadrasūri has clearly stated that the intuitive knowledge accompanies the yoga by self-exertion. He has also said that the attainment of the omniscient knowledge is a result of the yoga by self-exertion. From these statements it becomes clear that the intuitive knowledge is neither called the omniscient knowledge, nor known as a part of it. The articulate knowledge (śrutajñāna) is essentially knowledge derived from words. It is of both classes of scriptures the outer corpus of many texts and the inner corpus of twelve (dvādasāṅgī). The scope of the yoga by self-exertion is beyond words. Therefore, the intuitive knowledge, which arises in the state of yoga by self-exertion, cannot be called the articulate knowledge.^[2]

Haribhadrasūri, therefore, says that the intuitive knowledge [i.e., Prātibhajñāna—prātibha-jñāna] takes place postarticulate knowledge and pre-omniscient knowledge. The intuitive knowledge is like the dawn. Dawn is the time period between the end of a night and the start of a day. Dawnis such a period, which is neither night or day nor something different from them. Similarly the intuitive knowledge is neither the articulate or omniscient knowledge nor different from these two.^[3]

The following verse from the treatise Adhyātmopaniṣada of UpādhyāyaYaśovijaya defines the intuitive knowledge.

It says:

“yogajā'dṛṣṭajanitaḥ, sa tu prātibhasaṃjñitaḥ|
sandhyeva dina-rātribhyāṃ, ke valaśrutayoḥ pṛthak || 2.2 || ”

Another treatise Jñānasāra of UpādhyāyaYaśovijaya also defines the intuitive knowledge as follows:

“sannadhyeva dina-rātribhyāṃ ke vala-śrutayoḥ pṛthak|
budhairanubhavo dṛṣṭaḥ ke valā'rkārūṇodayaḥ || 26.1 || ”

While discussing the definition and nature of the intuitive knowledge Haribhadrasūri mentions synonyms for the same used in different philosophical schools.

The Sāṅkhya philosophy refers the intuitive knowledge [i.e., Prātibhajñāna—prātibha-jñāna] as tāraka. The word nitīraṇa is employed for the intuitive knowledge in Buddhism.^[4]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

mārgānusāriprakṛṣṭohākhya-jñānayuktaḥ|........................ || 8 ||
   –Ibid.

[2]:

āha–idamapi prātibhaṃ śrutajñānameva, anyathā ṣaṣṭhajñānaprasaṅgaḥ| na caitatke valaṃ, sāmarthyayogakāryatvādasya| evaṃ ca siddhākhyapadasamprāptihetubhedāstattvataḥ śāstrādevā'vagamyanta iti | atrocyate-naitacchrutaṃ, na ke valaṃ, na ca jñānāntaramiti.............. || 8 ||
   -Ibid.

[3]:

, rātrindivārūṇodayavat| arūṇodayo hi na rātrindivātirikto na ca tayoreko'pi vaktuṃ pāyarte| evaṃ prātibhamapyettanna ca tadatiriktaṃ na ca tayorekamapi vaktuṃ śakyate| tatkāla eva tathotkṛṣṭakṣayopaśamavato bhāvātśruttavena tattvato'saṃvyavahāryatvānna śrutaṃ, kṣāyopaśamikatvādaśeṣa-dravyaparyāyāviṣayatvācca na ke valamiti|........... || 8 ||
   –Ibid.

[4]:

| iṣṭaṃ caitattāraka-nitīraṇādi-jñānaśabdavācyamaparairapītyadoṣaḥ || 8 ||
   –Ibid.