Issue #6 Corollary #2

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Dear Friends:

 

Below is given the Jaina criticism of the Buddhist theory of

double psychoses in the phenomenon of recognition.

 

 

ISSUE #6 COROLLARY #2

 

THE JAINA CRITICISM OF THE BUDDHIST THEORY OF DOUBLE DISCRETE

PSYCHOSES IN THE PHENOMENON OF RECOGNITION:

 

 

The Jaina philosopher PrabhAcandra (11th century AD) in his

monumental work the PrameyakamalamArtANDa trenchantly criticizes

the Buddhist theory of pratyabhijn~A (recognition) involving the

operation of two discrete psychoses.

 

PrabhAcandra points out that the Buddhists themselves admit to

the psychic fusion of multiple colors (vicitrapratIti) vis-a-vis

an object in the perceptual process (e.g. the perception of a

piece of multi-colored cloth in which opposite colors like

black and white may very well form the content of a unitary

cognition). That being the case, why should there be any

objection on the part of the Buddhists with regard to a

similar fusion in the recognitive process?

 

According to PrabhAcandra, the nature of Reality itself is

contradiction. All dualists as well as monists have failed to

understand this most essential feature of Reality and

unnecessarily struggle to understand Reality with their

preconceived biased viewpoint, be it dualism or monism or any

other via media grade or shade of thought between these two.

However, if one realizes that contradiction is the very essence

of Reality (viruddhadharmAshraya), all the supposed problems of

epistemology (pramANa vicAra) and metaphysics (prameya vicAra)

would be easily resolved.

 

As per PrabhAcandra, pratyabhijn~A (recognition) is a complex,

unitary and unique psychosis which is a typical product of the

complex and contradictory nature of Reality. This is why in

the phenomenon of recognition the past and the present are

bafflingly and inexplicably one.

 

PrabhAcandra says that if the Buddhists continue to maintain

their dual psychoses theory of recognition, they would be hard

pressed to explain how the perceiver assimilates, in the final

analysis, the two psychoses since, in the phenomenon of

recognition, they are experienced as one. Pure logic of the

Buddhists has no force in front of the complex and

contradictory character of recognition which is a given

experiential datum which must be deliberately explained rather

than non-chalantly explained away.

 

 

regards,

Hari-vAyu smaraNa

B.N.Hebbar