According to Jain epistemology, "knowledge is the essence of the soul. This knowledge is masked by the karmic particles. As the soul obtains knowledge through various means, it does not generate anything new. It only shreds off the knowledge-obscuring karmic particles. According to Jainism, consciousness is a primary attribute of Jīva (soul) and this consciousness manifests itself as darsana (perception) and jnana (knowledge)." (wikipedia)
Further Links:
- Presentation: Jain Philosophy
- Paper: An Epistemology of Jainism: A Critical Study
- Post: The Theory of Knowledge in Jainism
- Paper: Basic Jaina Epistemology (unpaywalled)
- Paper: Theories of knowledge and the experience of being: Jainism’s ontology of kinship
- Post: Types of knowledge in Janism
- Talk: Jaina Logic and Epistemology. Is This How it All Began? - talk by Prof Balcerowicz