Jñāna (Skt., ‘knowing’).

Hinduism

In the early period, jñāna was practical knowledge or skill (e.g. of a warrior or farmer). But jñāna was rapidly extended to include all spiritual knowledge, and knowledge of the way to approach Brahman or God. More technically, jñāna is the cognitive episode or event in which knowledge can occur.

Buddhism

(Pāli, ñāṇa). According to Buddhists, perception and reason cannot be totally relied upon since they are conditioned and distorted by our subjective attitudes—likes (ruci), dislikes (aruci), desire (chanda), fear (bhaya), ill will (dosa), and delusion (moha). Consequently, true knowledge (aññā) can only come about as a result of eliminating unwholesome mental and psychological factors. Buddhism prescribes a programme for eliminating these factors: training in morality (śīla), concentration (samādhi), and understanding (prajña). In terms of Buddhist doctrine, the true object of knowledge is to be found in the Four Noble Truths and the law of causation (paticca-samuppāda). On this basis, one can attain higher states of knowledge, but only if one's mind is purified of five impediments (pañcanīvaraṇa, see NĪVARAṆAS—covetousness, ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry, and doubt, Majjhima Nikāya 1. 181, 270, 276) and on attaining the fourth jhāna.

jñāna (Skt.; Pāli, ñāṇa). General term meaning knowledge, particularly in the context of the understanding of doctrines. In terms of Buddhist epistemology, tradition (anuśrava) is not by itself a valid form of knowledge, nor are sense-perception or reason reliable means of knowledge until the distorting influence of unwholesome mental factors such as the three roots of evil (akuśala-mūla) have been eliminated. Once this has been achieved, one who reflects with right attention (yoniśo manasikāra) will perceive with the proper mode of cognitive awareness and see things ‘as they really are’ (yathābhūta). In later Mahāyāna sources jñāna comes to mean ‘non-conceptualizing’ or ‘non-dual’ awareness, and is sometimes used synonymously for enlightenment (bodhi) itself. Based on the Buddhabhūmi Sūtra and Yogācāra doctrines, the basic Buddha awareness of enlightenment is subdivided according to the function into the five awarenesses (pañca-jñāna).