ShannonAguayo at 14:35, 13 April 2026

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{{short description|"Knowledge" in Indian philosophy and religion}}

In [[Indian philosophy]] and [[Indian religions|religions]], '''''{{IAST|Jñāna}}''''' ({{langx|sa|ज्ञानम्|}}, {{IPA|sa|ˈdʑɲaːnɐ|}})<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/gyan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120708015215/http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/gyan |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 8, 2012 |title=Gyan – definition of ''gyan'' in English |website=[[Oxford Dictionaries (website)|Oxford Dictionaries]] |access-date=2016-08-23}}</ref>{{efn|{{IAST|Jñāna}} is also often transliterated into English as ''jnana'', ''jnan'', ''gyana'', ''gyan'', or ''gyaan''.}} is "knowledge".

The idea of ''jñāna'' centers on a cognitive event which is recognized when experienced. It is knowledge inseparable from the total experience of reality, especially the total or divine reality ([[Brahman]]).<ref name="brittanica on gyana">{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/jnana |title=jnana (Indian religion) |publisher=Britannica Online Encyclopedia |access-date=2012-05-15 }}</ref> There are also some categorised terms like physical ''Jñāna,'' spiritual ''Jñāna'' and ultimate ''Jñāna'' of Self-Realisation.<ref name="Rishabhchand19592">{{cite book |author=Rishabhchand |url=https://motherandsriaurobindo.in/chapterise.php?zbk=disciples/rishabhchand/books/the-integral-yoga-of-sri-aurobindo/knowledge-the-light-that-fulfils-3 |title=The Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo |publisher=Sri Aurobindo Ashram Press |year=1959 |edition=2nd |location=Pondicherry |page=375}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
''Jñāna'' means "[[knowledge]]" in [[Sanskrit]]. The root ज्ञा- ''[[:wikt:ज्ञान|jñā-]]'' is cognate to Slavic [[:wikt:znati|znati]], English ''[[:wikt:know|know]]'', Greek [[:wikt:γιγνώσκω|γνώ-]] (as in γνῶσις ''[[gnosis]]''), and Lithuanian [[:wikt:žinoti|žinoti]]. अज्ञान ''ajñāna'' "ignorance" is antonym for this word.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Apte |first=Vaman Shivram |title=The Practical Sanskrit Dictionary |publisher=Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers |year=1965 |isbn=81-208-0567-4 |pages=457}}</ref>

==In Hinduism==
{{Hindu philosophy}}

=== 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. A key tenet of Nyaya epistemology is that all true cognitions reflect their object. A true cognition does not necessarily have to arise from a valid source of knowledge (pramana); it can also occur accidentally.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Phillips |first=Stephen H. |title=Epistemology in classical India: the knowledge sources of the Nyāya school |date=2012 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-89554-5 |location=New York |pages=5}}</ref>

===Vedanta===
In [[Vedanta]], Jnana refers to "salvific knowledge", or knowledge that leads to liberation (''[[moksha]]''). The Upanishads, which form the concluding part of the Vedas, are regarded as the repository of this spiritual knowledge, and are thus referred to as the ''jnanakanda''.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The early Upaniṣads: annotated text and translation |date=1998 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-512435-4 |editor-last=Olivelle |editor-first=Patrick |series=South Asia research |location=New York Oxford |pages=10}}</ref> This concept is encapsulated in the Mahāvākya (great saying) as[[Mahāvākyas#Prajñānam Brahma|Prajñānam Brahma]] (प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म), one of the [[Mahāvākyas]], roughly means "Insight is Brahman" or "Brahman is Insight".{{sfn|Sahu|2004|p=41}}

===Yoga===
[[Jnana yoga|Jñāna yoga]] (ज्ञानयोग, lit. Yoga of Knowledge) is one of the three main paths (मार्ग, ''[[Sadhana|margas]]''), which are supposed to lead towards ''[[moksha]]'' (मोक्ष) or liberation from material existence. The other two main paths are [[Karma yoga]] (the path of action) and [[Bhakti Yoga|Bhakti yoga]](the path of devotion). The fourth path, [[Rāja yoga]] (राजयोग, classical yoga) which integrates several yogic practices, is also said to lead to the ''moksha''.<ref name="Britannica">{{cite web |title=Hinduism - Bhagavadgita, Dharma, Karma |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hinduism/The-Bhagavadgita#ref59831 |access-date=13 April 2026 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref> These paths are traditionally understood by different temperaments or personality types: Jnan yoga for the philosophically inclined, Bhakti yoga for the emotionally inclined, and Karma yoga for actively inclined.<ref name="Yogamag">{{cite web |title=Not Watertight |url=http://yogamag.net/archives/2010s/2017/1707/1707wter.html |access-date=13 April 2026 |website=Yogamag}}</ref><ref name="Dharmapedia">{{cite web |date=17 July 2019 |title=Three Yogas |url=https://en.dharmapedia.net/w/index.php?title=Three_Yogas&oldid=33283 |access-date=13 April 2026 |website=Dharmapedia Wiki}}</ref>

==In Buddhism==
{{Buddhism}}
In [[Tibetan Buddhism]], ''[[jñāna]]'' (Tibetan: ''ye shes'') refers to pure awareness that is free of conceptual encumbrances, and is contrasted with ''[[vijnana|vijñāna]]'', which is a moment of 'divided knowing'. Entrance to, and progression through the ten stages of ''jñāna'' (Bodhisattva ''bhūmi''s), will lead one to complete [[Enlightenment in Buddhism|enlightenment]] (bodhi) and [[nirvana]].<ref>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''</ref>

In [[Theravāda]] Buddhism there are various [[Vipassanā-ñāṇa|''vipassana''-''ñānas'']] or "insight knowledges" on the path of insight into the true nature of reality.<ref name="ReferenceA">The Progress of Insight: (Visuddhiñāna-katha), by the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, translated from the Pali with Notes by Nyanaponika Thera (1994; 33pp./99KB)</ref> 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.<ref name="ReferenceA" />

== In Jainism ==
{{Main|Jain epistemology}}
According to the Jain texts like [[Tattvārthsūtra]] ([[śloka]] 1.9) and [[Sarvārthasiddhi]], knowledge is of five kinds:<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details|title=Reality_JMT|last=Jain|first=S.A.|year=1992|publisher=Jwalamalini Trustp=16}}</ref>
# ''Mati Jñāna'' (Sensory Knowledge)
# ''Śruta Jñāna'' (Scriptural Knowledge)
# ''Avadhi Jñāna'' (Clairvoyance)
# ''Manaḥ prayāya Jñāna'' (Telepathy)
# ''[[Kevala jnana|Kevalā Jñāna]]'' (Omniscience)

== In Sikhism ==
The word gyan (which comes from the Sanskrit jñāna) means spiritual wisdom or true understanding. Sikh teachings explains that this kind of wisdom must come before meditation or deep contemplation. Without first gaining gyan, a person cannot truly practice dhian (focused meditation). The Guru Granth Sahib makes this point clear by stating that those who have not internalized the Guru's message lack both spiritual wisdom and the ability to contemplate, and at the end cannot truly love the Divine within.<ref name="Gurbani">{{cite web |date=11 October 2012 |title=There can be no Dhian without Giyan |url=https://www.gurbani.org/gurblog/there-can-be-no-dhiaan-without-giaan/ |access-date=13 April 2026 |website=Reflections On Gurbani}}</ref>Learned people are often referred to as "Giani". It is mentioned throughout the [[Guru Granth Sahib]].<ref name="LearnPunjabi">{{cite web |title=GIĀNĪ |url=https://eos.learnpunjabi.org/GIANI.html |access-date=13 April 2026 |website=LearnPunjabi.org |publisher=Encyclopaedia of Sikhism}}</ref>

The Guru Granth Sahib describes a ''brahm giāni'' is one who has attained the highest spiritual knowledge as someone whose mind and lips are always focused on the true one, who sees only the divine everywhere. Such a person lives in the world but remains untouched by it, like a lotus flower that grows in water but stays dry on its surface.<ref name="SikhEncyclopediaBrahmgiani">{{cite web |title=BRAHMGIANI |url=https://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/brahmgiani/ |access-date=13 April 2026 |website=The Sikh Encyclopedia |publisher=Punjabi University}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Advaita Vedanta]]
* [[gnosis]], a similar term in Western philosophy
* [[mysticism]]
* [[noesis (disambiguation)]], a similar term in Western philosophy & psychology
* [[nondualism]]
* [[vidya (philosophy)]]
* [[qualia]], a partly-related term in Western philosophy{{div col end}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Sources==
{{refbegin}}
* Anna Dallapiccola, ''Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend'' ({{ISBN|0-500-51088-1}})
* {{Citation | last =Loy | first =David | year =1997 | title =Nonduality. A Study in Comparative Philosophy | publisher =Humanity Books | ref=none}}
* {{Citation | last =Sahu | first =Bhagirathi | year =2004 | title =The New Educational Philosophy | publisher =Sarup & Sons}}
{{refend}}
==External links==
* [https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/jnana/index.html Jnana definition and other relevant text]
* [http://www.jiva.org/what-is-jnana/ What Is Jnana?] (Jiva Institute)

{{Philosophy topics}}
{{Buddhism topics}}

[[Category:Hindu philosophical concepts]]
[[Category:Knowledge]]
[[Category:Spiritual faculties]]
[[Category:Concepts in epistemology]]
[[Category:Vedanta]]
[[Category:Yoga concepts]]
[[Category:Buddhist philosophical concepts]]
[[Category:Sanskrit words and phrases]]

Jñāna - Revision history

ShannonAguayo at 14:35, 13 April 2026