JNANA

Sanskrit Jana (knowledge), in Hindu philosophy, knowledge that is a total experience of its object, particularly the supreme being or reality, as contrasted with vijana, knowing one thing from another, or practical knowledge. The nature of jnana depends importantly on that of its object, but all schools of Hindu philosophy agree that the total cognitive experience of the supreme object sets the soul free from the transmigratory life and the polarities this imposes upon thought. Its opposite, ajana (also called avidya), therefore becomes important, because it is the false apprehension of reality that keeps the soul from attaining release. While literally meaning ignorance, ajana conveys more the sense of mistaken knowledge, which has a large measure of validity as far as the realities of the present world are concerned but conceals the truth of a reality outside it.