½¤¼a: (nt.) [from j¤n¤ti. See also janana. *gen¦, as in Gr. gnw_--sis (cp. gnostic), gnw/mh; Lat. (co)gnitio; Goth. kunpi; Ogh. kunst; E. knowledge] knowledge, intelligence, insight, conviction, recognition, opp. a¾¤¼a & avijj¤, lack of k. or ignorance.

1. ½¤¼a in the theory of cognition: it occurs in intensive couple -- compounds with terms of sight as cakkhu (eye) & dassana (sight, view), e. g. in cakkhu- ¾a¼a-kara¼a "opening our eyes & thus producing knowledge" i. e. giving us the eye of knowledge (a mental eye)... ¾a¼a¸ dassana¸ hoti "through seeing & knowing," i. e. on grounds of definite knowledge arises the sure conviction that where there is no cause there is no consequence S V.126. Cp. also the relation of diÂÂhi to ¾a¼a. This implies that all things visible are knowable as well as that all our knowledge is based on empirical grounds...¾a¼a+dassana (i. e. full vision) as one of the characteristics of Arahantship...

2. Scope and character of ¾a¼a: ¾. as faculty of understanding is included in pa¾¾a (cp. wisdom = perfected knowledge). The latter signifies the spiritual wisdom which embraces the fundamental truths of morality & conviction (such as anicca¸ anatta, dukkha...whereas ¾. is relative to common experience... - Perception (sa¾¾a) is necessary to the forming of ¾a¼a, it precedes it (D I.185); as sure knowledge ¾. is preferable to saddha (S IV.298); at Vin III.91 the definition of ¾. is given with tisso vijja (3 kinds of knowledge)...aÂÂhasamapatti-¾a¼a (consisting in the 8 attainments, viz. jhana & its 4 succeeding developments), pa¾c' abhi¾¾a° (the 5 higher knowledges...), miccha° (false k. or heresy). Three degrees of k. are distinguished...viz. savaka- parami-¾a¼a, paccekabuddha°, sabba¾¾uta° (highest k. of a relig. student, k. of a wise man, & omniscience). Four objects of k. (as objects of truth or samma diÂÂhi) are enumd as dhamme ¾a¼a¸, anvaye ¾., paricchede ¾., sammuti ¾. at D III.226, 277; other four as dukkhe ¾. (dukkha-) samudaye ¾., nirodhe ¾., magge ¾. (i. e. the knowledge of the paÂicca-samuppada) at D III.227... Right knowledge (or truth) is contrasted with false k. (miccha-¾a¼a =miccha diÂÂhi): S V.384; M II.29; A II.222; V.327...

-indriya the faculty of cognition or understanding
-ûpapanna endowed with k....giving (right) understanding, enlightening, in combn w. cakkhukara¼a (giving (in)--sight, cp. "your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be knowing good and evil" Gen. 35)...
-cakkhu the eye of k....
-jala the net of k., in phrase ¾a¼ajalassa anto paviÂÂha coming within the net, i. e. into the range of one's intelligence or mental eye (clear sight)...
-dassana "knowing and seeing," "clear sight," i. e. perfect knowledge; having a vision of truth, i. e. recognition of truth, philosophy, (right) theory of life, all-comprising knowledge...
-vatthuni (pl.) the objects or items of (right) knowledge which means k. of the paÂiccasamuppada or causal connection of phenomena...
-vada talk about (the attainment of supreme) knowledge D III.13 sq.; A V.42 sq.;
-vimokkha emancipation through k...