जैन दार्शनिक साहित्य में ज्ञान और प्रमाण के समन्वय का प्रश्न

Summary

This scholarly article addresses the question of how Jain philosophical literature reconciles knowledge (jñāna) with pramāṇa, the means by which knowledge is validated. Focusing on canonical texts such as the Anuyogadvāra Sūtra, the author explains the Jain classification of knowledge into mati (perception), śruta (scriptural), avadhi (clairvoyant), manaḥparyāya (mind‑reading) and kevala (omniscient) categories. These are matched with corresponding pramāṇas: direct perception, inference and trustworthy testimony. The article argues that Jain thinkers see no contradiction between multiple kinds of knowledge and the methods used to obtain them; rather, they insist on right knowledge, right faith and right conduct as interdependent means to liberation. The author compares Jain epistemology with those of Buddhist and Nyāya schools, highlighting debates over the validity of scriptural testimony and the scope of inferential reasoning. The paper concludes that the Jain synthesis of jñāna and pramāṇa exemplifies a rigorous yet pluralistic approach to understanding reality.