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Significance of Śrutajñāna
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Viseșāvaśyakabhāsya propounds that śrutajñāna is actually a soul.” In the view of Tīrthankaras, it is a characteristic of a soul as Maladhāri Hemcandra says śrutajñāna is a mode (paryāya) of a soul." Kinds of Śrutajñāna
The Nandīsūtra and Avaśyakaniryukti mention the following fourteen categories of śrutajñāna: 1. Akşara śruta - It is imperishable and divided into
three types- samjñākşara, vyañjanākṣara and labdhyaksara. Samjñākṣara means a particular shape and form of a letter of script. All the words of different languages with particular meaning are called vyañjanākṣara. Labdhyākṣara is the minimum characteristic of a living being and it is considered as bhāva śruta. Anakşaraśruta - It is defined as the symbols of bodily activities. Bhatta Akalanka includes inferential
knowledge in it. 3. Samjñīśruta- It is defined as mental power of retaining
the past experiences and speculation for future plans
etc. 4. Asasjñīśruta- Contrary to samjñīśruta is called
asasjñīšruta 5. Samyak śruta- The scriptures composed by the
Gañadharas or other ācāryas having the knowledge of 10 pūrvas is called samyak śruta.
** Viśeşavaśyakabhäsya, verse 99 "suyam tu paramatthao jivo", "Vțitti of Maladhāri on Viśeşāvaśyaka bhāśya, verse 98 - ātmanaḥ pariņāmasca śrutajñānamiśyate,
