Society, Epistemology and Logic in Indian Tradition

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Indian epistemology encompasses mainly two dimensions as knowledge (jnana) and organ of valid cognition (pramana). This book deals with both the dimensions along with the view point (naya) of a knower. It also discusses acquired knowledge (apara vidya) and self-manifested spiritual knowledge (para vidya), sensuous and super-sensuous knowledge, nirvikalpaka (devoid of verbal designation) and savikalpaka (determinate) knowledge, its five kinds according to Jaina philosophy as 1. Matijnana (sensous knowledge) 2. Sruta jnana (scriptural or verbal knowledge) 3. Avadhijnana (clairvoyance) 4. Manahparyaya jnana (a knowledge reading mental modes of others) 5. kevalajnana (pure and perfect knowledge). It describes definition of pramana, its kinds as perception, inference, and testimony along with the establishment of recollection (smrti), recognition (pratyabhijnana), inductive reasoning (tarka), as pramana.

It mentions logic as a part of pramanamimana in the form of inference for others and also as inductive reasoning. Buddhist contribution in defining perception as nirvikalpaka (devoid of verbal designation) and the contribution of Jaina philosophers to Indian epistemology and logic has been enumerated.

It also discusses about the concept of society in world-renouncing philosophy of Jainism and Impact of Vedic culture on it. A chapter analyses the concept of consciousness according to Jaina scriptures which does have importance even in the modem scientific era and an another chapter provides with solutions of conflicts prevailing in the minds of human beings and the society.

Dr. Dharm Chand Jain is a professor of Sanskrit in Jai Narain Vyas university, Jodhpur and has served as Head, Department of Sanskrit and as founder Director, Buddhist Studies Centre in the university. Indian Philosophy (especially Jainism and Buddhism), Sanskrit and Prakrit Language and literature are the subjects of his interest. He has written five books (1. Bauddha Pramana-mimansa ki Jaina Drsti se Samiksa, 2. Bauddha Pramana-mimansa, 3. Chintana Ke Ayama, 4. Jaina Dharma - darsana : Eka Anusilana etc.) and edited more than 25 books (including on Smrti-sastra, Buddhism and Jainism). He has presented research papers in national and international seminars in India and abroad and also chaired some sessions of them. His numerous research articles have been published in reputed journals and proceedings. He is associated with various academic bodies of universities and educational institutes and has visited Hongkong (1995), London (2006 and 2013), Nepal (2013) and New York (2015) for academic purposes. Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy has awarded him with Abmbikadatta Vyasa award (1991) for Sanskrit prose writing and Darana Saturnalia (2014-2015) for philosophical writing. He has been honoured with following awards for his scholarly writing and social services:- Yuva-pratibha-sodha-sammana (1994), Champalal Sanda Smrti-purskara (1997), Acarya Hasti-smrti-sammana (2001), Karuna-writer-speaker-propagator-award (2014), Ramratan Kochar-smrti-sammana (2015), Hemachandracharya Sahitya sammana (2015) and Jaina seva-ratna-sammana (2016).

Indian philosophy has a rich tradition of different ideas about metaphysics, epistemology and ethics. Epistemology is a branch of philosophy which deals with nature of knowledge (jnana), its origination, sources, validity and consistency and also it deals with an organ of valid cognition (pramana).

Every Indian philosophy proposes a goal to achieve a blissful life and emancipation from sufferings forever. Knowledge is a powerful resource to control and remove the feeling of sufferings. It is helpful in knowing and propounding the real truth of existent elements of the universe and the pious deeds.

In this book an article entitled "Knowledge in Jainism : an Overview" discusses the nature and kinds of knowledge and the contribution of Jainism to Indian philosophy. Knowledge is considered as an attribute or property of a soul. Nyaya philosophers consider it as a separate category of attribute which resides in a soul with inherence relation whereas Jaina philosophers consider knowledge as an essential, identical and natural attribute of a soul, without which consciousness cannot be defined in a soul. Vedanta philosophers also accept knowledge or cognitive function as an essential character of the soul or brahma.

Knowledge is not only acquired, it is also intrinsically manifested in a soul after removal of ignorance and subsidence-cum-destruction (ksayopasama) of knowledge-obscuring (jnanavarana) karma. Sense organs, mind and intellect are the means of acquiring knowledge and soul is a knower. This acquired knowledge is called as aparavidya in the Upanisads. In Jainism, it is called as matijnana. A soul has an ability to know the objects directly without the help of sense organs and mind also. That knowledge is defined as super sensuous and spiritual knowledge which emerges within a soul after removal of ignorance and subsidence-cum-destruction of knowledge-obscuring karma. In the Upanisads, it has been called as paravidya. In Jainism, this knowledge has been considered as avadhijnana, manahparyayajnana and kevalajnana, Srutajnana is considered as a scriptural, verbal and spiritual knowledge.

Thinking about validity of knowledge is also a subject of epistemology. Yogacara Buddhists and Jaina philosophers accept knowledge as illuminating the self and the object. Hence in their views, no other knowledge is required to determine the validity of that knowledge in the practiced position, but if the knowledge of an object is not familiar, then another knowledge is needed to verify its validity. Nyaya philosophers accept that validity of one knowledge is determined through some other valid knowledge. Mimamsaka philosophers have a different view. They accept that invalidity in a knowledge comes from other causes, knowledge itself is valid.

Jaina tradition has contributed in the field of Indian epistemology by propounding five types of knowledge viz- 1. Matijnana (sensous knowledge) 2.Srutajnana (scriptural or verbal knowledge) 3.Avadhijnana (clairvoyance) 4.Manahparayajnana (a knowledge reading mental modes of others) 5.kevalajnana(pure and perfect knowledge).

Srutajnana is important, because of its utility in revealing kevalajnana (pure and perfect knowledge). It is found in every living being in a right or perverted form, hence the prevalent meaning of srutajnana as a verbal or scriptural knowledge is insufficient. This fact has been pointed out and a wide meaning usable for achieving liberation has been investigated in the article entitled "Significance of Srutajnana".