Jain Knowledge Representation
Dr. Nirmal Baid
Mar 01, 2009
Preamble
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The current knowledge on Jain philosophy was expounded
by Mahavir in 6th century B.C. time, and his preaching was
orally compiled into many scriptures by his disciples.
Jain knowledge was mostly passed on from one generation
to the next generation via oral tradition for long time.
Jains have a unique concept of Knowledge and a unique
Knowledge Base.
The knowledge base is well structured and fairly complete,
but organization of the knowledge in our scriptures is
relatively poor.
Goal is to enable an investigative query or a "pointed
inquiry" into the Jain concepts and interrelationships
among them.
Knowledge Treatment
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Jains developed a system of knowledge interpretation along
with the knowledge base itself.
Naya
• Naya predicates one of the innumerable attributes of a thing without
denying rest.
• Dravyarthika inquires into the very substance of the object Naya and the
Paryayarthik into the state of being. E.g. Water as a substance vs. ripples in
the water.
• Naya is the stand-point of the knower. A thing can be viewed from
different stand-points (seven).
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Anekant
• A dynamic thought-reconciliation process, through which we find an
attempt at synthesis between apparently contradictory attributes.
• Anekant should not be understood to mean that reality is contradictory. It
simply means that there are innumerable number of aspects and attributes
which can be thoroughly comprehended only when we can put all of them
together.
Knowledge Treatment
Mechanisms of Interpretation
Knowledge
• Mati
Knowledge Base
• Shrut
• Avadhi
• Manahparyaya
• Keval
- Nayas
- Saptbhangi
- Anekant
-…
Jain Knowledge Base
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Two perspectives of Knowledge from the Jains
• First, Jain philosophy expounds the fact that each soul possesses the
perfect knowledge about all modes of all substances, in past, present
and future time.
• Second, the souls that were able to realize and expound it (Kevalis
and Arhats). The form in which it is available is called Shrut, which is
primarily documented based on the teachings of a Jina.
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Scriptures
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Extinct canons
Extant canons: Swetambar/Digambar
Commentaries
Contemporary Literature
Knowledge Representation Styles
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Early scholars, starting from the Gandharas, used the language of the commons
Descriptive Sutra Style: Brevity of expression was one of the key characteristics of
the sutras as these had to contain entire taxonomies.
“Chattari atthikaya ajivakaya pannatatam jaha, dhammathikaye, adhammathikaye, aagasatthikaye,
poggalatthikaye” (Sthanang 4/1/251) also in (Bhagvati Sutra – 7/18/305)
“Naanass Dansnass y aavaranam Veyaniymohaniyanam, Aaugnaamam Godantaraaymidi
Atthpayadiyo” (Gommatsaar Karmkand – I/8)
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Q&A Style: Aka Prashnottar Padhdhati
“Kaivihanam Bhante ! Davva Pannatta ?
Goyama ! Duviha Pannatta, Tam Jaha – Jivdavva y Ajivdavva y” (Anuyogdwar 141)
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Concise Sanskrit Sutras: Concise composition of the sutras helped in easy
memorization, and hence helped in preservation of the critical knowledge base.
“Ajivakaya dharmadharmakasha-pudgalah” (Tattvarth Sutra 5/1)
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Dictionary:
Abhidhan Rajendra Kosh (1890) – 60000 terms (Prakrit to Sanskrit)
Jainendra Siddhant Kosh (1944) – 21000 topics (Prakrit/Hindi to Hindi)
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Regional Styles: e.g., Rajasthani Thokdas and Gujarati Tabbas
The main composition style used by these scholars helped in maintaining an
unambiguous meaning of the critical concepts.
Basis of a knowledge base system
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Ontology – defines the concepts and
relationships
Knowledge base – Instantiates the concepts
Axioms – defines the rules that govern the
concepts and interrelationships
Implementation – a systems which holds the
above three
Knowledge Representation
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State of a Soul, S, can be represented as a vector of all its
characteristics:
S (Ch, Gt, G, J, K, Ky, L, Sh, U, I, …)t
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S is time-bound (t) and state changes every moment
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Representing valid and viable states at time t
S(…, Sh, …)t ; Shn n = (1, 4, 5) [Audarik, Taijas and Karman]
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Relationships (and Axioms) among concepts
For a soul, S, at time, t, if it demonstrates Yathakhyat Charitra, it cannot posses
Aaharak or Vaikriya Sharir:
" " S, t, S(…)t , Sharir_Exists_With_Charitra (C, Sh), Cm, m =5  $ Shn, n (2, 3)
Implementation
Screen prints and example of
usage follows
Top-level Hierarchy
Complete view of a concept
Relationship View
Relationship View
Knowledge Tree Example
Question –
“Can a Soul that has
achieved Yathakhyat
Charita, go down on
the Gunsthan order?
Answer –
1) Start by finding the
Yathkhyat Charitra
2) Find out the least
Gunsthan where it
can exist.
Knowledge Tree Example
3) Traverse the
relationship, “Next
Digression to
Gunsthan”
4) See if there are any
Gunsthan that exist at
the other end of this
relationship
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