Tattvarth Sutra – Chapter 1 Sutra 20 to 25

Śruta-jñāna and Avadhi-jñāna

Śruta-jñāna (Scriptural Knowledge)

Sūtra 1.20 – śrutaṁ matipūrvaṁ dvy-aneka-dvādaśa-bhedam

• Meaning: Śruta-jñāna (scriptural knowledge) is always preceded by Mati-jñāna (sensory knowledge).
• Divisions: It has 2, many, and 12 types of classifications.

Types of Śruta-jñāna:

1. Aṅgapravista (Included in the canonical Aṅgas)
2. Aṅgabāhya (Outside the Aṅgas)

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Avadhi-jñāna (Clairvoyant Knowledge)

Sūtra 1.21 – bhava-pratyayo ’vadhir deva-narakāṇām

• Meaning: Avadhi-jñāna is of two kinds based on cause:
  1. Bhava-pratyaya – natural, arising due to birth or destiny.
     • Found in Devas (celestial beings) and Nārakis (hellish beings).
  2. Guṇa-pratyaya – acquired through austerities, vows, and purity of conduct.
     • Found in humans and animals.

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Types of Guṇa-pratyaya Avadhi-jñāna

Sūtra 1.22 – kṣayopaśama-nimittaḥ ṣaḍ-vikalpaḥ śeṣāṇām

• Meaning: For humans and animals (śeṣa-jīvas), Avadhi-jñāna arises from the destruction-cum-subsidence (kṣayopaśama) of knowledge-obscuring karma.
• It has 6 varieties under Deśāvadhi.

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Three Main Types of Avadhi-jñāna

1. Deśāvadhi-jñāna (Limited Clairvoyance)
   • Knowledge limited by substance, space, time, or modes.
   • 6 Subtypes:
     1. Anugāmī – continues with soul to another body or realm.
        • Bhavānugāmī (continues across births).
        • Kṣetrānugāmī (continues across regions).
     2. Ananugāmī – does not continue to another realm or birth.
     3. Vardhamāna – increases gradually (like waxing moon).
     4. Hīyamāna – decreases gradually (like waning moon).
     5. Avasthita – remains steady (like the sun).
     6. Anavasthita – fluctuating, irregular (like water waves).
2. Paramāvadhi-jñāna (Supreme Clairvoyance)
   • Extends to countless regions of the universe.
   • Attained by highly advanced ascetics, leading towards liberation.
   • Has 3 varieties – inferior (jaghanya), superior (utkṛṣṭa), and intermediate (jaghanyotkṛṣṭa).
3. Sarvāvadhi-jñāna (Complete Clairvoyance)
   • Highest form of Avadhi, nearing Kevalajñāna.
   • Subject matter covers all knowables, hence called “Sarva”.
   • Found in Digambara monks who are about to attain omniscience (Kevalajñāna).
   • Only 1 type.

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Summary Table

Type of Avadhi	Who Attains	Subdivisions	Analogy / Note
Bhava-pratyaya	Devas & Nārakis	By nature of birth	Destiny-based
Guṇa-pratyaya	Humans & Animals	By vows, penances	Conduct-based
Deśāvadhi	Humans, Animals	6 (Anugāmī, Ananugāmī, Vardhamāna, Hīyamāna, Avasthita, Anavasthita)	Waxing/waning moon, sun, waves
Paramāvadhi	Ascetics near liberation	3 (low, high, mixed)	Boundless regions
Sarvāvadhi	Highest ascetics	1	Closest to Kevalajñāna

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Manaḥparyaya-jñāna (Telepathic Knowledge)

Types of Manaḥparyaya-jñāna

Sūtra 1.23 – ṛju-vipulamati manaḥparyayaḥ

• Meaning: Manaḥparyaya-jñāna is of two types:
  1. Ṛju-mati (Straightforward Telepathy)
     • Direct knowledge of simple, clearly contemplated thoughts in another’s mind.
     • Example: knowing someone’s clear, uncomplicated intention.
  2. Vipula-mati (Profound Telepathy)
     • Knowledge of subtle, complex, or deeply hidden thoughts in another’s mind.
     • Example: perceiving complex plans or inner dilemmas of someone’s consciousness.

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Difference between Ṛju-mati and Vipula-mati

Sūtra 1.24 – viśuddhy-apratipātābhyāṁ tad-viśeṣaḥ

• Meaning: The difference lies in purity (viśuddhi) and stability (apratipāta).
• Viśuddhi (Purity): Clarity of soul produced by subsidence-cum-destruction of karma.
• Apratipāta (Non-decline): Once attained, it does not regress or fall away.

Comparison:

• Ṛju-mati → Less pure, can be lost (decline possible).
• Vipula-mati → More pure, remains until Kevalajñāna (Omniscience).

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Difference between Avadhi-jñāna & Manaḥparyaya-jñāna

Sūtra 1.25 – viśuddhi-kṣetra-svāmi-viṣayebhyo ’vadhi manaḥparyayaḥ

• Basis of Difference:
  1. Viśuddhi (Purity): Manaḥparyaya is purer than Avadhi.
  2. Kṣetra (Range):
     • Avadhi: vast (extends across three worlds).
     • Manaḥparyaya: limited (about 2.25 million miles – 4.5 million yojanas, i.e., the region of Jambūdvīpa).
  3. Svāmī (Owner of Thoughts):
     • Avadhi: relates to many beings, across realms.
     • Manaḥparyaya: relates only to specific individuals (their thoughts).
  4. Viṣaya (Subject Matter):
     • Avadhi: deals with external, gross objects (matter, events).
     • Manaḥparyaya: deals with subtle, internal objects (mental states).

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Attainment of Manaḥparyaya-jñāna

• Found only in highly advanced Digambara monks, from Pramatta-samyata (7th guṇasthāna, careful ascetic stage) up to Kṣīṇa-kaṣāya (12th guṇasthāna, complete annihilation of passions).
• Not attained by Devas, Nārakis, or laypersons.

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Hierarchy of Knowledge (in Guṇasthānas)

Type of Knowledge	Who Attains	Stages (Guṇasthāna)
Mati-jñāna (Sensory)	All beings	4th to 12th
Śruta-jñāna (Scriptural)	All beings	4th to 12th
Avadhi-jñāna (Clairvoyance)	Humans, animals, devas, nārakis	4th to 12th
Manaḥparyaya-jñāna (Telepathy)	Only advanced monks	7th to 12th
Kevala-jñāna (Omniscience)	Arihants, Siddhas	13th to 14th

Sutra 32 and 33

English explanation of Tattvarth Sutra

Chapter 1 – Sutra 1 to 5 | Sutra 6 to 12 | Sutra 13 to 19 | Sutra 20 to 25 | Sutra 26 to 31 | Sutra 32 and 33