Jnana


In Indian philosophy and religion, jñāna is "knowledge".
The idea of jnana centers on a cognitive event which is recognized when experienced. It is knowledge inseparable from the total experience of reality, especially a total or divine reality.
The root :wikt:ज्ञान|jñā- is cognate to English :wikt:know|know, as well as to the Greek :wikt:γιγνώσκω|γνώ- and Russian :wikt:знание|знание. Its antonym is ajñāna "ignorance".

In Buddhism

In Tibetan Buddhism, it refers to pure awareness that is free of conceptual encumbrances, and is contrasted with vijnana, which is a moment of 'divided knowing'. Entrance to, and progression through the ten stages of Jnana/Bhimis, will lead one to complete enlightenment and nirvana.
In the Vipassanā tradition of Buddhism there are the following ñanas according to Mahasi Sayadaw. As a person meditates these ñanas 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 ñana 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 ñanas will lead to the first of the Four stages of enlightenment then the cycle will start over at a subtler level.
  1. Analytical Knowledge of Body and Mind
  2. Knowledge by Discerning Conditionality
  3. Knowledge by Comprehension
  4. Knowledge of Arising and Passing Away
  5. Knowledge of Dissolution
  6. Awareness of Fearfulness
  7. Knowledge of Misery
  8. Knowledge of Disgust
  9. Knowledge of Desire for Deliverance
  10. Knowledge of Re-observation
  11. Knowledge of Equanimity about Formations
  12. Insight Leading to emergence
  13. Knowledge of Adaptation
  14. Maturity Knowledge
  15. Path Knowledge
  16. Fruition Knowledge
  17. Knowledge of Reviewing

    In Hinduism

Sahu explains:
Jnana yoga is one of the three main paths, which are supposed to lead towards moksha from material miseries. The other two main paths are Karma yoga and Bhakti Yoga. Rāja 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

According to the Jain texts like Tattvārthsūtra and Sarvārthasiddhi, knowledge is of five kinds:
Gyan or Gian refers to spiritual knowledge. It is mentioned throughout the Guru Granth Sahib.