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Ñāṇa

Knowledge, Book Knowledge
sometimes also = vision, higher understanding, 'Profound Knowledge'

References:

The Eighth Lesson
The 10th Lesson


Pāḷi MO Hare Horner Punnaji Bodhi Nanamoli Rhys Davids (Mrs)Rhys Davids Thanissaro Walshe Woodward
ñāṇa book knowledge, knowing, knowledge knowledge knowledge knowing knowledge knowledge knowledge knowledge knowledge Knowledge insight [SN 5.48.52]

 


 

Pāḷi Text Society
Pāḷi English Dictionary
Edited by T. W. Rhys Davids and William Stede
[EDITED ENTRY]

Ñāṇa: (nt.) [from jānāti. See also janana. *genē, as in Gr. gnw_--sis (cp. gnostic), gnw/mh; Lat. (co)gnitio; Goth. kunpi; Ogh. kunst; E. knowledge] knowledge, intelligence, insight, conviction, recognition, opp. añāṇa & avijjā, lack of k. or ignorance.

1. Ñāṇa in the theory of cognition: it occurs in intensive couple -- compounds with terms of sight as cakkhu (eye) & dassana (sight, view), e. g. in cakkhu- ñaṇa-karaṇa "opening our eyes & thus producing knowledge" i. e. giving us the eye of knowledge (a mental eye)... ñaṇaṅ dassanaṅ hoti "through seeing & knowing," i. e. on grounds of definite knowledge arises the sure conviction that where there is no cause there is no consequence S V.126. Cp. also the relation of diṭṭhi to ñaṇa. This implies that all things visible are knowable as well as that all our knowledge is based on empirical grounds...ñaṇa+dassana (i. e. full vision) as one of the characteristics of Arahantship...

2. Scope and character of ñaṇa: ñ. as faculty of understanding is included in pañña (cp. wisdom = perfected knowledge). The latter signifies the spiritual wisdom which embraces the fundamental truths of morality & conviction (such as aniccaṅ anatta, dukkha...whereas ñ. is relative to common experience... - Perception (sañña) is necessary to the forming of ñaṇa, it precedes it (D I.185); as sure knowledge ñ. is preferable to saddha (S IV.298); at Vin III.91 the definition of ñ. is given with tisso vijja (3 kinds of knowledge)...aṭṭhasamapatti-ñaṇa (consisting in the 8 attainments, viz. jhana & its 4 succeeding developments), pañc' abhiññaḥ (the 5 higher knowledges...), micchaḥ (false k. or heresy). Three degrees of k. are distinguished...viz. savaka- parami-ñaṇa, paccekaBuddhaḥ, sabbaññutaḥ (highest k. of a relig. student, k. of a wise man, & omniscience). Four objects of k. (as objects of truth or samma diṭṭhi) are enumd as dhamme ñaṇaṅ, anvaye ñ., paricchede ñ., sammuti ñ. at D III.226, 277; other four as dukkhe ñ. (dukkha-) samudaye ñ., nirodhe ñ., magge ñ. (i. e. the knowledge of the paṭicca-samuppada) at D III.227... Right knowledge (or truth) is contrasted with false k. (miccha-ñaṇa =miccha diṭṭhi): S V.384; M II.29; A II.222; V.327...

-indriya the faculty of cognition or understanding
-ûpapanna endowed with k....giving (right) understanding, enlightening, in combn w. cakkhukaraṇa (giving (in)--sight, cp. "your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be knowing good and evil" Gen. 35)...
-cakkhu the eye of k....
-jala the net of k., in phrase ñaṇajalassa anto paviṭṭha coming within the net, i. e. into the range of one's intelligence or mental eye (clear sight)...
-dassana "knowing and seeing," "clear sight," i. e. perfect knowledge; having a vision of truth, i. e. recognition of truth, philosophy, (right) theory of life, all-comprising knowledge...
-vatthuni (pl.) the objects or items of (right) knowledge which means k. of the paṭiccasamuppada or causal connection of phenomena...
-vada talk about (the attainment of supreme) knowledge D III.13 sq.; A V.42 sq.;
-vimokkha emancipation through k...

 


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