jnana

J8N1A1N1A1
UK/dʒəˈnɑː.nə/South Asia/dʒnɑːn(ə)/South Asia/ɡjɑːn(ə)/

noun

The knowledge, acquired through meditation, that one's self (atman) is identical with Ultimate Reality (Brahman).

OriginSanskrit ज्ञान (jñāna) ← Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- →
UncommonScrabble 12
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Meanings

nounjnana (countable and uncountable, plural jnanas)

plural jnanas · alternative gnana · alternative gyan · alternative jñāna

  1. HinduismcountableuncountableThe knowledge, acquired through meditation, that one's self (atman) is identical with Ultimate Reality (Brahman).

    1986, The Vedanta Kesari, Ramakrishna Math, page 316, The knower of Atman realizes Him by Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge).

    2 more examples

    1969, Swami Rāmānandasarasvatī, The Hindu Ideal, Sri Ramananda Centenary Memorial Committee, page 291, The dualists, Sri Vaishnavas in particular, seem to entertain a strong opinion that Bhakti alone is the cause of Moksha, and that Jnana is but a step towards Bhakti.

    Jnana is a direct knowing of things as they really are.

    2004, M. G. Chitkara, Vedic Religious Tradition, APH Publishing Corporation, page 375
  2. countableuncountableBuddhismPure awareness that is free of conceptual encumbrances.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ǵneh₃-
  2. Sanskritज्ञा (jñā)
  3. Sanskritज्ञान (jñāna)
  4. Englishjnana

Borrowed from Sanskrit ज्ञान (jñāna, “knowledge”).

More words from Sanskrit

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bengali জ্ঞান
  • জ্ঞান (gên)(Hinduism) the knowledge, acquired through meditation, that one's self (atman) is identical with Ultimate Reality (Brahman)
Chinese Mandarin 智
  • 智 (zhì)(Hinduism) the knowledge, acquired through meditation, that one's self (atman) is identical with Ultimate Reality (Brahman)
Hindi ज्ञान
  • ज्ञान (jñān)(Hinduism) the knowledge, acquired through meditation, that one's self (atman) is identical with Ultimate Reality (Brahman)
Russian джня́на, джна́на
  • джня́на (džnjána)(Hinduism) the knowledge, acquired through meditation, that one's self (atman) is identical with Ultimate Reality (Brahman)
  • джна́на (džnána)(Hinduism) the knowledge, acquired through meditation, that one's self (atman) is identical with Ultimate Reality (Brahman)
  • гья́на (gʹjána)(Hinduism) the knowledge, acquired through meditation, that one's self (atman) is identical with Ultimate Reality (Brahman)
Thai ญาณ
  • ญาณ (yaan)(Hinduism) the knowledge, acquired through meditation, that one's self (atman) is identical with Ultimate Reality (Brahman)

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Jannaanjannanja
Cite this entry
APA

jnana. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jnana

MLA

“jnana.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jnana. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “jnana,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jnana.

Source: jnana on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.