Jñāna

Etymology

Jñāna means "knowledge" in Sanskrit. The root ज्ञा- jñā- is cognate to Slavic znati, English know, Greek γνώ- (as in γνῶσις gnosis), and Lithuanian žinoti. Its antonym is अज्ञान ajñāna "ignorance".

In Buddhism

In Tibetan Buddhism, jñāna (Tibetan: ye shes) refers to pure awareness that is free of conceptual encumbrances, and is contrasted with vijñāna, which is a moment of 'divided knowing'. Entrance to, and progression through the ten stages of jñāna (Bodhisattva bhūmis), will lead one to complete enlightenment (bodhi) and nirvana.

In Theravāda Buddhism there are various vipassana-ñānas or "insight knowledges" on the path of insight into the true nature of reality. As a person meditates these ñānas or "knowledges" will be experienced in order. The experience of each may be brief or may last for years and the subjective intensity of each is variable. Each ñāna could also be considered a jhāna although many are not stable and the mind has no way to remain embedded in the experience. Experiencing all the ñānas will lead to the first of the four stages of enlightenment, then the cycle will start over at a subtler level.

In Hinduism

Nyaya

In Nyaya, jñāna is a mental event, better translated as cognition rather than knowledge. Jñāna can be true or false. Jñāna is not belief, but lead to the formation of belief. All true cognitions reflect their object. However, true cognitions do not always arise from a source of knowledge. True cognitions can also arise accidentally.

Vedanta

In Vedanta, Jnana refers to "salvific knowledge", or knowledge that leads to liberation (moksha). The Upanishads, forming the concluding part of the Vedas, are regarded as the repository of this spiritual knowledge, and are thus referred to as the jnanakanda. Prajñānam Brahma (प्रज्ञानम् ब्रह्म), one of the Mahāvākyas, roughly means "Insight is Brahman" or "Brahman is Insight".

Yoga

Jñāna yoga (ज्ञानयोग, lit. Yoga of Knowledge) is one of the three main paths (मार्ग, margas), which are supposed to lead towards moksha (मोक्ष, liberation) from material miseries. The other two main paths are Karma yoga and Bhakti yoga. Rāja yoga (राजयोग, classical yoga) which includes several yogas, is also said to lead to moksha. It is said that each path is meant for a different temperament of personality.

In Jainism

Main article: Jain epistemology

According to the Jain texts like Tattvārthsūtra (śloka 1.9) and Sarvārthasiddhi, knowledge is of five kinds:

1. Mati Jñāna (Sensory Knowledge)
2. Śruta Jñāna (Scriptural Knowledge)
3. Avadhi Jñāna (Clairvoyance)
4. Manaḥ prayāya Jñāna (Telepathy)
5. Kevalā Jñāna (Omniscience)

In Sikhism

Gyan or Gian refers to spiritual knowledge. Learned people are often referred to as "Giani". It is mentioned throughout the Guru Granth Sahib.

Notes

References

Sources

• Anna Dallapiccola, Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend ()

References

1. "Gyan – definition of ''gyan'' in English".
2. "jnana (Indian religion)". Britannica Online Encyclopedia.
3. Apte, Vaman Shivram. (1965). "The Practical Sanskrit Dictionary". Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.
4. Gampopa's "Jewel Ornament of Liberation", especially the ten bhūmis, where the absorption state or non-dual state, which characterizes all ten bhūmis, in this well-respected traditional text, is equated to the state of ''jñāna''
5. The Progress of Insight: (Visuddhiñāna-katha), by the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, translated from the Pali with Notes by Nyanaponika Thera (1994; 33pp./99KB)
6. Phillips, Stephen H.. (2012). "Epistemology in classical India: the knowledge sources of the Nyāya school". Routledge.
7. (1998). "The early Upaniṣads: annotated text and translation". Oxford University Press.
8. Jain, S.A.. (1992). "Reality_JMT". Jwalamalini Trustp=16.