A variety of Noāgaṃataḥ Dravya Nikṣepa (virtually or metaphorically transferred epithet);
the epithet 'knower' given to the body of the knower (soul), which used to know the subject under consideration, in the past but at present is devoid of that knowledge.
jāṇagasarīradavvāvassayaṃ-āvassae tti payatthāhigārajāṇagassa jaṃ sarīrayaṃ vavagaya-citya cāviya-cattadehaṃ jīvavippajaḍhaṃ sejjāgayaṃ vā saṃthāragayaṃ vā nisīhiyāgayaṃ vā siddhasilātalagayaṃ vā pāsittāṇaṃ koi vacjjā- aho ṇaṃ imeṇaṃ sarirasaṃussaeṇaṃ jinadittheṇaṃ bhāvenaṃ āvassae tti pay aṃ āghaviyaṃ pannaviyaṃ parūviyaṃ daṃsiyaṃ nidaṃsiyaṃ uvadaṃsiyaṃ. jahā ko ditthaṃto? ay aṃ mahukumbhe āsī, ay aṃ ghayakumbhe āsī. se tarn jānagasatiradavvāvassayaṃ...
(Anu 16)