jnana
- noun
- /dʒəˈnɑːnə/
- Specialized
:
jnana
- Followers of jnana yoga who discriminate between the real and the unreal, the permanent and the transitory, systematically impress upon themselves the impermanence of their own body and mind and its three states of consciousness: waking, dream, and dreamless sleep.
Examples
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A Hindu jnana yogi might reflect on his or her assumptions about the nature of the self, considering the thesis found in the Upanishads that the deepest aspect of the self, the atman, is being or ultimate reality itself.
Academic text (1994) -
At the time of initiation, the devotee gives up material conceptions while he begins to understand sambandha-jnana, one's eternal relationship with God and those who are part of the family of God.
Blog text (33) -
In Hindu philosophy, jnana is seen as essential for understanding the nature of existence and the self.
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Studying the Upanishads helps one gain jnana, or spiritual wisdom, which deepens one's connection to the divine.
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A teacher of jnana yoga emphasizes the pursuit of jnana to help students recognize their true nature beyond physical form.
Synonyms
Deep wisdom about the true nature of reality that is taught in Buddhism
Antonyms
How Wise
Surface Forms
Etymology
Jnana comes from the Sanskrit word jñāna, which means 'knowledge' or 'wisdom'. In Hindu teaching it refers to deep spiritual knowing, so jnana today still means inner understanding and spiritual knowledge.