jnana

American  

[juh-nah-nuh] / dʒəˈnɑ nə /

noun

Hinduism.

1. knowledge acquired through meditation and study as a means of reaching Brahman.

---

Etymology

Origin of jnana

First recorded in 1820–30, from Sanskrit jñāna “knowledge,” equivalent to jñā- “to know” + -na noun suffix; see origin at know ¹ ( def. )

Explanation

You'll mainly encounter jnana in Hindu and Buddhist religious writings, where it refers to deep spiritual knowledge gained through discipline. Jnana is borrowed from a Sanskrit word meaning "knowledge," but its spiritual meaning is more specific. It refers to a profound, transformative wisdom acquired through meditation and study. In both Hindu and Buddhist traditions, jnana is insight into the ultimate nature of reality, leading a practitioner toward enlightenment and a higher awareness beyond everyday perception.

Example Sentences

So I thought, instead, about jnana yoga master Sri Yukteswar, whose disciple, Paramahansa Yogananda, wrote the popular Autobiography of a Yogi.

From Take Me for a Ride: coming of age in a destructive cult by Laxer, Mark Eliot

The attempt to make religion consist of emotion without thought, of bhakti without jnana, had disastrous issues.

From Two Old Faiths Essays on the Religions of the Hindus and the Mohammedans by Mitchell, J. Murray (John Murray)