Jaina Thinker Acᾱrya Mahᾱprajῆajῑ: His Contribution in the Development of Jaina Epistemology

Abstract Acᾱryaṥri Mahᾱprajῆajῑ was the tenth Acarya of the Jaina Svetᾱmber Terᾱpanth Sect and one of the most widely respected Jain Thinker. He has a multidimensional personality and is a renowned scholar of Indian philosophy and religion. Acᾱryaṥrῑ has expressed his views on many subjects, some of them are; Aṇuvrata, Prekṣᾱ Dhyᾱn, Jeevan Vignᾱna, etc. 'Jaina Darṥan: Manan aur Mῑṃᾱsᾱ' is his masterpiece of work, which gives a comprehensive knowledge of Jaina philosophy. This paper aims to show the important contribution of Mahᾱprajῆajῑ in the field of Jaina Nyᾱya and the classification of pramᾱṇa. Mahᾱprajῆajῑ’s immense reading of philosophy from Ᾱgama and the works of Jaina logicians are reflected in his writing, which is very noteworthy. He compiled all the views, of aᾱgamic and philosophical era of Jaina thinkers and logicians. Not only Jaina thinkers, he studied Indian thinkers and Western philosophers also. He explained the development of Jaina epistemology in a very systematic and efficient way. Mahᾱpragjῆajῑ has made an invaluable contribution to the field of Jaina logic.