Tattvarth Sutra – Chapter 1 Sutra 13 to 19

Synonyms of Mati Jñāna (Perceptual Knowledge)

Sutra 1.13 matiḥ smṛtiḥ saṃjñā cintā abhinibodha ity anarthāntaram
मति: स्मृति: संज्ञा चिन्ता अभिनिबोध इत्यनर्थान्तरम्

Sandhi-viccheda: मति + स्मृति + संज्ञा + चिन्ता + अभिनिबोध + इति + अनर्थान्तरम्
Meaning: Mati, Smṛti, Saṃjñā, Cintā, and Abhinibodha are not different substances; they are synonyms or alternative names of Mati Jñāna itself.

• Mati (Perception) – Knowledge obtained through the senses and mind.
  Example: Knowing “this is a table” just by perceiving it.
• Smṛti (Memory) – Recollection of something known earlier.
  Example: Remembering that “yesterday I saw this book”.
• Saṃjñā (Recognition/Association) – When present perception and memory combine, recognizing it as the same.
  Example: On seeing someone today, saying “this is the same person I met yesterday”.
• Cintā (Reasoning/Inference by association) – Knowledge through logical connection.
  Example: Seeing smoke and logically concluding there must be fire.
• Abhinibodha (Deduction/Inference by cause-effect) – Awareness of the effect through its cause. Another word: Anumāna (inference).
  Example: Seeing smoke rising, one deduces “there is fire here”.

👉 All these arise due to the subsidence or destruction of Mati Jñānāvaraṇīya Karma (knowledge-obscuring karma).
👉 Though different in form, they all are part of Mati Jñāna.
👉 Āchārya Vīrasena (in Dhavalā ṭīkā on Ṣaṭkhaṇḍāgama) has even called Mati Jñāna itself as Abhinibodha Jñāna.

---

Cause of Origin of Mati Jñāna

Sutra 1.14 tad indriyān indriya-nimittam
तदिन्द्रियानिन्द्रियनिमित्तम्

Sandhi-viccheda: तत् + इन्द्रिय + अनिन्द्रिय + निमित्तम्
Meaning: Mati Jñāna arises through the five senses (touch, taste, smell, sight, hearing) and mind (called Anindriya).

• For 5-sensed beings with mind (samanaska) – Mati Jñāna arises through all five senses + mind.
• For 5-sensed beings without mind (amanaska) – only through senses.
• For 4-sensed beings – through touch, taste, smell, sight.
• For 3-sensed beings – through touch, taste, smell.
• For 2-sensed beings – through touch, taste.
• For 1-sensed beings (plants, etc.) – only through touch.

👉 Thus, every worldly being (even the tiniest nigoda jīvas) possesses Mati and Śruta Jñāna.
👉 Here, Acharya explains Mati Jñāna’s kinds with reference to instruments/causes (nimitta).

---

Subdivisions of Mati Jñāna

Sutra 1.15 avagrahehāvaya dhāraṇāḥ
अवग्रहेहावय धारणा:

Sandhi-viccheda: अवग्रह + ईहा + आवाय + धारणा:
Meaning: Mati Jñāna is of four stages – Avagraha, Īhā, Āvaya, and Dhāraṇā.

1. Darśana (Preliminary Cognition/Perception) – Awareness of mere existence of something without knowing “what it is”.
   Example: Seeing a distant object in the sky but not yet knowing whether it is a bird or flag.
   • This is called Darśana-upayoga (function of perception).
   • When knowledge arises of “what it is”, then Jñāna-upayoga begins.
2. Avagraha (Indistinct Knowledge) – Initial indistinct knowledge of the object’s features.
   Example: Recognizing it as “something white or black in color” but still unclear.
3. Īhā (Investigation/Desire to know) – Attempt to know the specific identity of the object.
   Example: Wondering “Is it a crane or a flag?”
4. Āvaya (Definite Determination) – Clear knowledge of what exactly the object is.
   Example: Concluding “It is a crane.”
5. Dhāraṇā (Retention/Memory) – Not forgetting the object even after some time.
   Example: Later, on seeing the crane flap its wings, confirming again “Yes, this is a crane” – memory strengthens recognition.

Substances Subject to Avagraha etc.

Sūtra 1.16 – bahu-bahuvidha-kṣiprāniḥsṛtānukta-dhruvāṇām setarāṇām

बहुबहुविधक्षिप्रानि:सृतानुक्तध्रुवाणाम् सेतराणाम्

Word-splitting:
bahu + bahuvidha + kṣipra + aniḥsṛta + anukta + dhruvāṇām + setarāṇām

Meaning:
Among substances, there are twelve varieties:

• Bahu (many)
• Eka/alpa (one or few)
• Bahuvidha (of many kinds)
• Ekavidha (of one kind)
• Kṣipra (swift)
• Akṣipra (slow)
• Aniḥsṛta (known partially, then inferred fully)
• Niḥsṛta (known completely and directly)
• Anukta (known without being told, through implication)
• Ukta (known when expressed in words)
• Dhruva (stable/lasting)
• Adhruva (unstable/fleeting)

These twelve types of objects are known through the four stages of knowledge: Avagraha (apprehension), Īhā (speculation), Āvaya (determination), and Dhāraṇā (retention).

---

Examples of the 12 Types of Objects

• Bahu (Many): Grasping a group collectively, e.g., perceiving an army or forest as a whole.
• Eka (One): Knowing a single object, e.g., recognizing one man or one straw.
• Bahuvidha (Many kinds): Knowing diverse objects within a group, e.g., elephants, horses in an army, or mango, mahua trees in a forest.
• Ekavidha (One kind): Knowing similar items together, e.g., wheat grains.
• Kṣipra (Swift): Knowing swiftly moving things, e.g., a fast-moving vehicle or objects seen while traveling.
• Akṣipra (Slow): Knowing slowly moving things, e.g., walking horses.
• Aniḥsṛta (Partial → Complete): Inferring the whole by seeing only a part, e.g., recognizing an elephant by only seeing its trunk above water.
• Niḥsṛta (Complete): Knowing the full object directly, e.g., seeing the whole elephant when it comes out of water.
• Anukta (Unexpressed): Understanding implied meaning without being told.
• Ukta (Expressed): Understanding when explicitly told.
• Dhruva (Stable): Knowing objects that remain constant for long, e.g., mountains.
• Adhruva (Unstable): Knowing fleeting/changing objects, e.g., lightning.

---

Question:

• Whose adjectives are these twelve (bahu, bahuvidha, etc.)?
  👉 They are adjectives of arthas (objects of knowledge, i.e., perceptible substances).
• What are the 288 varieties?
  👉 The twelve types of objects, when known through the four stages of knowledge (Avagraha, Īhā, Āvaya, Dhāraṇā), across five senses + mind (6 total), give:
  12 × 4 × 6 = 288 varieties of Mati-jñāna (sensory knowledge).

---

Sūtra 1.17 – arthasya

अर्थस्य

Word-split:

• arthasya – of objects (substances or their modifications)

The different types of objects (artha) are known through the four stages of sensory knowledge: Avagraha (perception), Īhā (speculation), Āvaya (decision), and Dhāraṇā (retention).

Avagraha of Vyajana (Words)

Sūtra 1.18 – vyajñanasya avagrahaḥ

व्यञ्जनस्यावग्रह

• Only Avagraha (apprehension) occurs for indistinct sounds (vyajana).
• The other three stages (Īhā, Āvaya, Dhāraṇā) do not take place here.
• Example: Hearing a faint sound without understanding its meaning — this is Vyajana-avagraha.
• Once the sound becomes clear, then Arthāvagraha (apprehension of meaning) and further stages occur.

---

Speciality of Vyajana-avagraha

Sūtra 1.19 – na cakṣur-anindriyābhyām

• Vyajana-avagraha does not occur through the eye (sight) or mind.
• It only occurs through the other four senses (hearing, smell, taste, touch).

---

Numerical Classification

• Each of the four (Avagraha, Īhā, Āvaya, Dhāraṇā) has 12 varieties → 12 × 4 = 48.
• Since they occur through 6 faculties (5 senses + mind): 48 × 6 = 288.
• Additionally, Vyajana-avagraha occurs only through 4 senses (not eye & mind): 12 × 4 = 48.
• Total Mati-jñāna varieties = 288 + 48 = 336.