Article: Knowledge

Shapes of divine clairvoyance
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Knowledge is one of the innate qualities – guṇas – of the soul – jīva – but may be obscured by karmas. All souls retain this characteristic, even those that are deluded by attachments to the world and thus ignore the path of liberation.

[the first gem of] ‘Correct faith’ may or may not exist, but knowledge or cognition of one form or the other always exists in a soul

Sukhlalji 1974: 18

Like the other qualities of the soul, knowledge has various modes – paryāyas – that change constantly. Knowledge – jñāna – has five modes, which are usually described as the five types of knowledge.

This table, based on page 112 of Wiley 2004, summarises the types of knowledge.

Śruta-skandha-yantra
Image by Nalini Balbir © Nalini Balbir

Knowledge is a central element of Jain doctrine from the beginnings of ‘right faith‘ to final liberation.

As a soul develops spiritually, freeing itself from karma, it acquires greater knowledge, until it accomplishes perfect knowledge – kevala-jñāna. This is achieved solely at the highest spiritual levels, shortly before final emancipation – mokṣa. The possessor of perfect knowledge knows everything – whether past, present or future, and knows everything in all its modes.

Thus a soul can gain different types of knowledge with spiritual progress. But knowledge is also a way to advance spiritually, because ‘proper knowledge’ – samyag-jñāna – is required for ‘proper behaviour’ – samyag-cāritra or samyak-cāritra. Without knowledge of what is right and wrong, there can be no substantial spiritual development.