Answer

In Digambara Jainism, Avadhi Jnana means direct limited knowledge of material objects without using the senses or the mind. It is often described as a kind of clairvoyance.

Explanation

Avadhi Jnana is one of the five kinds of knowledge in Jainism:

1. Mati Jnana — ordinary sensory knowledge
2. Shruta Jnana — knowledge through scripture and words
3. Avadhi Jnana — direct knowledge of distant or hidden physical things
4. Manahparyaya Jnana — knowledge of the thoughts of others
5. Kevala Jnana — complete omniscience

Key points about Avadhi Jnana:

• It knows physical things and material forms.
• It does not know the soul directly in the same way as Kevala Jnana.
• It can reveal things that are far away, hidden, or subtle.
• It is a partial and limited knowledge, not complete knowledge.
• In Jain tradition, it may arise in certain celestial beings, hell beings, animals, and also in highly purified human souls.

In Digambara understanding:

Digambara Jain texts accept that Avadhi Jnana can exist in different degrees:

• some souls may have very limited clairvoyant knowledge,
• others may have a very broad range,
• but it still remains limited compared to Kevala Jnana.

Spiritual Understanding

Avadhi Jnana shows that the soul has hidden powers, but these powers appear only when karmas become lighter. In Jain Dharma, the goal is not to seek such powers for display, but to move toward:

• right faith
• right knowledge
• right conduct
• detachment
• liberation

So, Avadhi Jnana is respected as a spiritual ability, but it is still a step on the path, not the final goal.

Takeaway

Avadhi Jnana in Digambara Jainism is limited direct knowledge of physical things beyond ordinary sense perception. It is higher than normal knowledge, but still lower than complete omniscience.