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Society, Epistemology and Logic in Indian Tradition
50
Thus samyag-jñāna defined as pramāna is different from the samyag-jñāna leading to liberation. The basic difference in these two is of inner view. First one right knowledge is leading the path of salvation and another one is guiding our empirical behaviour. First one may be compared with parāvidyā of Upanisadas and second one with aparāvidyā. Vattakera in Mūlācāra defines samyag-jñāna as follows:
“By which the truth is known, by which the mind is restrained and by which the soul is purified is the knowledge in Jaina-teachings.”
By which a man abstains from attachment, by which he engages himself in welfare and by which friendly behaviour with everybody takes place is the knowledge in Jainateachings."
This knowledge is one of the jewels in trio-jewels leading to the path of liberation, but Jaina scholars accepted the empirical world as a reality, hence they developed their own epistemological fundamentals which are more practicable. Knowledge as pramāna
Jaina logicians propounded pramāņa for uncontradictory behaviour of a person. The foremost Jaina logician Siddhasena Divākara says in his Nyāyāvatāra- “This system of valid cognitive criteria is having neither any beginning nor any end, also it is well known to all people in daily life, even thought it is propounded here.”l4
"Mūlācāra, Verses 267-268 "Nyāyāvatāra,32: Pramānādi-vyavastheyamanādinidhanātmikā
Sarvasamvyavahartr nām prasiddhāpi prakirtitā||
