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Predating both hindus and buddhists, Jains today constitute one percent of the total Indian population.[1]

Jainism
Jain Flag
Total population
about 5 million
Founder
Adinatha
Regions with significant populations
India, Belgium, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, United States
Religions
Jainism
Scriptures
Jain Agam
Languages
Prakrit, Sanskrit, Kannada, Tamil, Gujarati, Hindi



Kevala Jñāna of Mahavira

Kevala Jñāna stands for unlimited or absolute knowledge according to Jain Dharma.[2] It is also roughly translated as Supreme Knowledge.[3] A person who has attained Kevala Jñāna is called a Kevalin[4] According to the Jains, only the Kevali can comprehend objects in all aspects and manifestations; others are only capable of partial knowledge.[5]

The views of Digambara and Svetambara differs on the subject of kevali. According to Digambara sect of Jainism, a kevali does not experience hunger or thirst where as according to svetambara, a kevali has normal human needs.[6] However, according to both the traditions, Jambu Svami was the last kevali.[7]

Literary Sources

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The claim of existence of omniscient by Jains, who deny the existence of a creator god, is a unique phenomenon in the entire history of mankind.[8] The Acharanga sutra, oldest text of svetambara, describes Mahavira as all-seeing but not all-knowing. Sutrakritanga, however, elaborates the concept as all knowing and provides details of other qualities of Mahavira.[9] Another text kalpasutra gives details of omniscience of Mahavira as such:[10]

When the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira had become a Jina and Arhat(Arihant), he was a Kevali, omniscient and comprehending all objects; he knew and saw all conditions of the world, of gods, men, and demons: whence they come, whither they go, whether they are born as men or animals or become gods or hell-beings (upapada), the ideas, the thoughts of their minds, the food, doings, desires, the open and secret deeds of all the living beings in the whole world; he the Arhat (Arihant), for whom there is no secret, knew and saw all conditions of all living beings in the world.

In the second Upanga Agama named Rayapsenia there is a dialogue between Kesi, a desciple of Parsva, and Paesi, a materialist king. In this dialogue, Kesi proves the existence of jiva and its ability to obtain keval jnana to the king.[11]

The Jains have a long debate with Hindus and Buddhist regarding the idea of omniscience. Dhamakriti, a known Buddhist monk criticized the jaina notion of omniscience in his work Pramanavartika. Hindu philosopher Kumarila argued that only Veda had the authority to define human moral values since they were "beginingless, authorless and of self-sufficient validity". In response, Jain monk Haribhadra (c. 8th century CE) wrote that humans already had knowledge of everything knowable. It only had to be illuminated or uncovered.[12] Omniscience was, according to Haribhadra, inherent to living beings.[13]

Samantabhadra was the first philosopher-monk in the history of Indian philosophy who tried to use inference as a method to establish the existence of omniscience.[14] Akalanka (c. 720 760 CE) put forward the concept of suniscita-asambhavad-badhaka-pramana as a reason for the existence of omniscient. This concept is a well known fact which is "we have no valid methods of knowing to deny the existence of omniscience".[15] Hemacandra (c. 1088 1173) combines the idea of sarvajna with Samantabhadra and Akalanka in his work Pramanamimasa to establish omniscient.[16]

Jaina Epistemology

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In jaina epistemology, there are two kinds of valid methods of knowledge; pratyaksa and paroksa. Pratyaksa means direct knowledge where as Paroksa means indirect knowledge. The keval-jnana (omniscience) falls under pratyaksa.[17] Five ways of obtaining knowledge are defined; Mati Jnana Acquired through sensory perception. Sruta Jnana Acquired through understanding of verbal and written sentences. Avadhi Jnana, Manhaparyaya Jnana and Keval Jnana.[18]

Notes

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  1. ^ Tobias & Life Force: The world of Jainism, pp. 28–29
  2. ^ Sharma 1991, p. 49
  3. ^ Kumar 2001, p. 3
  4. ^ Jaini 2000, p. 51
  5. ^ Jaini 1998, p. 91
  6. ^ Dundas 2002, p. 45 45
  7. ^ Shah 2004, p. 39
  8. ^ Jaini 2001, p. 98 99
  9. ^ Dundas 2002, p. 25
  10. ^ Jaini 2001, p. 99–100
  11. ^ Flügel 2006, p. 113
  12. ^ Flügel 2006, p. 91
  13. ^ Flügel 2006, p. 91
  14. ^ Flügel 2006, p. 110
  15. ^ Flügel 2006, p. 110
  16. ^ Flügel 2006, p. 110
  17. ^ Flügel 2006, p. 108
  18. ^ Glasenapp 1999, pp. 204–205

References

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  • Dundas, Paul (2002), The Jains, Routledge, ISBN 978-0-415-26605-5
  • Flügel, Peter (2006), Studies in Jaina History and Culture: Disputes and Dialogues, Taylor & Francis, ISBN 978-0-203-00853-9
  • Glasenapp, Helmuth Von (1999), Jainism: An Indian Religion of Salvation, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 81-208-1376-6
  • Jaini, Padmanabh (1998), The Jaina Path of Purification, New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, p. 91, ISBN 81-208-1578-5
  • Jaini, Padmanabh S (2000), Collected Papers On Jaina Studies, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-1691-6
  • Jaini, Padmanabh S. (2001), Collected Papers On Buddhist Studies, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-1776-0
  • Kumar, Sehdev (2001), Jain Temples of Rajasthan, Abhinav Publications, ISBN 978-81-7017-348-9
  • Shah, Natubhai (2004), Jainism: The World of Conquerors, vol. 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-1-898723-30-1
  • Sharma, Candradhar (1991), A critical survey of Indian philosophy, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-0365-7
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