Think of the ten pramāṇas outlined in the Sthānāṅga Sūtra as a roadmap for navigating reality—each a unique “lens” through which truths about the universe and the soul can be discovered, verified, and lived out.

1. Mati (sensory + mental knowledge) and Śruta (scriptural knowledge) form the bedrock. Mati taps into perception and inference, while Śruta draws on the Jain canon. Together, they encourage a balance between firsthand experience and the wisdom of tradition—much like pairing personal research with peer-reviewed studies in today’s academic world.

2. Avadhi (clairvoyance) and Manahparyaya (telepathy) explore the mind’s hidden corridors. They demonstrate that inner sensitivity matters: by training attention, compassion deepens and ethical decisions become second nature. Think of modern mindfulness retreats that claim to unlock intuition—Jain practice did it millennia ago.

3. Kevala (omniscience) stands at the summit—complete, unfiltered knowledge. It’s the shining ideal, reminding practitioners that liberation isn’t just about ethics but about fully piercing the veil of illusion.

4. Śrotriya-jñāna (expertise in the canon) and the paired categories—e.g., Arthāpatti (presumption) and Anupalabdhi (non-cognition)—add subtlety. They teach how to fill in gaps, infer missing pieces, and understand absence (such as spotting a missing charge on last month’s utility bill).

Together, this tenfold classification:

• Bridges inner and outer worlds, offering a holistic toolkit for ethical living.
• Underscores that no single “way of knowing” holds all the cards—modern debates on AI biases and raw data echo this ancient insight.
• Serves as a moral compass, pointing toward nonviolence and self-discipline by revealing the limits and potential of perception.

In today’s era of information overload, these categories remind seekers that true wisdom arises not from amassing facts but from refining awareness—peeling back the layers until only unshakeable clarity remains.