() or () is a Hindu-Buddhist term often translated as "wisdom", "transcendental wisdom", "insight", "intelligence", or "understanding". It is described in Buddhist texts as the understanding of the true nature of phenomena. In the context of Buddhist meditation, it is the ability to understand the three characteristics of all things: ("impermanence"), ("dissatisfaction" or "suffering"), and ("non-self" or "egolessness"). Mahāyāna texts describe it as the understanding of ("emptiness"). It is part of the Threefold Training in Buddhism, and is one of the ten of Theravāda Buddhism and one of the six Mahāyāna .

Etymology

is often translated as "wisdom", some scholars such as Damien Keown claimed that it is closer in meaning to "insight", "non-discriminating knowledge" or "intuitive apprehension", while some others argue that it should be translated to "analytical appreciative understanding", however, Edward Conze believed that "wisdom" is still the most proper translation.

The component parts of the word are:

; Pra () : an intensifier which can be translated as "higher", "greater", "supreme" or "premium", or "being born or springing up", referring to a spontaneous type of knowing

; jñā () : can be translated as "consciousness", "knowledge", or "understanding"

Hence the word Prajñā composed of these two parts can be translated as "Supreme Understanding" or "Transcendental Wisdom".

Pali scholars T. W. Rhys Davids and William Stede define () as "intelligence, comprising all the higher faculties of cognition" and "intellect as conversant with general truths".

British Buddhist monk and Pāli scholar Ñāṇamoli Bhikkhu translates (), as "understanding", specifically the "state of understanding". Ñāṇamoli Bhikkhu notes that Pāli makes a distinction between the "state of understanding" () and the "act of understanding" () in a way different from how English does.

Role in Buddhist traditions

is the fourth virtue of ten found in late canonic (Khuddaka Nikāya) and Theravādan commentary, and the sixth of the six Mahāyāna . It is the third level of the Threefold Training in Buddhism consisting of , , and . Dhammapala states that has the attribute of penetrating the true nature of phenomena.

Abhidharma commentaries relate that there are three types of :

  1. learned ()
  2. : knowledge or wisdom that is acquired from books or listening to others.
  3. reflective ()
  4. : knowledge or wisdom that is acquired from thought or logic and reasoning.
  5. from spiritual development ()
  6. :knowledge or wisdom that is acquired from direct spiritual experience. Fifth-century Theravada commentator Buddhaghosa states that this category of knowledge is produced from higher meditative absorptions.

Abhidharma commentaries describe seven ways to gain :

Buddhaghosa defines as “knowing in a particular mode separate from the modes of perceiving () and cognizing ()”.

Mahāyāna Buddhism

thumb|[[Mañjuśrī, the bodhisattva of wisdom, holding a sword (a symbol of prajñā's ability to cut through delusions) from Candi Jago, 14th century Java, Indonesia]]

In Mahayana Buddhism and in the northern Abhidharma schools, prajñā (Tibetan: shes rab; Chinese: 般若/慧, bōrě/huì; Japanese: hannya) or understanding, is one of the five mental factors (caitta) present in all wholesome (kuśala) mental states. Prajñā involves the precise and analytical discernment of dharmas (phenomena) as expounded in Buddhist teachings. This wisdom allows practitioners to distinguish between virtues and flaws, thereby dispelling doubt and fostering clarity.

Prajñā is also one of the five spiritual faculties (pañcendriya) and powers (pañcabala). It works alongside faith (śraddhā) to overcome skepticism (vicikitsā) and cultivates balanced spiritual development. These three are:

These three forms of wisdom are always discussed in this order, indicating that they are a progressive and developmental process, from a more foundational kind of wisdom to a more complete form of wisdom (though this does not indicate one abandons the earlier wisdoms on attaining the latter forms). Williams goes on to say that the meaning of according to Mahayana Prajñāpāramitā sutras is ultimately the state of understanding emptiness ().

See also

  • Four ways of knowing – the perfection of action, observing knowing, universal knowing, and great mirror knowing

References

Further reading