[Advaita-l] jnAna-vijnAna

[Naresh Cuntoor]

>
> Another approach to understanding vijnAna:
>
> Let us translate jnAna as knowledge (about
> something).
> Example: brahmajnAna = knowledge about brahma.
> In the same spirit, vijnAna can mean knowledge
> about vi-kAra (the sound vi). And in sAmkhya,
> vikAra is the "cause" of transformation of
> prakRti. So vijnAna then is the knowledge that
> enables one to understand the "science" of
> transformation of prakRti. In this context, it
> is not surprising that scientific knowledge
> in general is referred to as "vijnAna" in
> many current Indian laguages.
>


Not quite. vi is a prefix (upasarga) that is used to denote division (e.g.,
vibhAga), emphasis (in vijJAna), change (vikAra, vichitra), opposition
(kreeNAti=buys, vikreeNAti = sell). So vijJAna can be said to be "special
knowledge". It does not refer to any transformation. Incidentally, the word
"science" comes to from the Latin scient = to know. The noun scientia =
knowledge.

Naresh