UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Jnanalaksana pratyaksha occurs when an earlier cognition leaves an impression that later functions as a medium for awareness of an object, often across sensory modalities. For example, recognising fire by seeing only the glow after previously perceiving both flame and heat involves this kind of perception. The new awareness is not due to fresh, full sense contact but to the residual trace of past knowledge. Thus the perception described is jnanalaksana.

Option A:
Option A, yogaja, is yogic perception whose distinctive feature is its origin in yogic discipline rather than reliance on prior ordinary cognitions; it is not defined by the role of memory-impressions in the same way.

Option B:
Option B is correct because jnanalaksana literally points to cognition as the mark through which something is perceived, highlighting the mediating role of previous knowledge. It belongs to the alaukika class for Nyaya.

Option C:
Option C, samanyalaksana, deals with perception of universals through many particulars and does not primarily explain cases where a single earlier cognition conditions a later awareness.

Option D:
Option D, sabda, is verbal testimony and does not directly involve perception based on prior sense impressions.