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Types of Gyan
In Jainism, Gyan (Jñāna – Knowledge) is of five main types, called Panch Gyan / Panch Jñāna:
- Mati Gyan (Mati Jñāna)
- Ordinary knowledge through senses and mind - Seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, tasting, thinking, remembering, guessing, reasoning etc. - It can be right or wrong, depending on purity of mind and karmas.
- Shruta Gyan (Śruta Jñāna)
- Knowledge gained by hearing/reading – from Āgams, scriptures, gurus, elders, books, discourses - It is based on words and language. - Also can be right or wrong, if wrongly understood or taught.
- Avadhi Gyan (Avadhi Jñāna)
- Clairvoyant knowledge – direct knowledge of material objects (rūpī dravya) - No need of senses or scriptures. - Limited by place, time, and objects (not infinite). - Found in some devas (celestial beings), nārakis (hell beings) and highly advanced sadhus.
- Manahparyaya Gyan (Manaḥparyāya Jñāna)
- Telepathic knowledge – knowing the thoughts and mental states of others. - Very high level, comes only in spiritually advanced human ascetics. - More pure and higher than Avadhi Gyan.
- Keval Gyan (Kevala Jñāna)
- Perfect, infinite, complete knowledge of all substances and all modes – past, present, future. - No limit of place, time or object. - Attained when all knowledge‑obscuring karmas (jñānāvaraṇīya karma) are totally destroyed. - Possessed by Arihant Bhagwants in this world, and forever by Siddha Bhagwants. - This is the highest goal of the soul.
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Another important point (common to Digambar & Shwetambar)
- Indirect (Paroksha) Gyan:
- Direct (Pratyaksha) Gyan:
Both Digambar and Shwetambar traditions accept these same five kinds of Gyan. Differences are only in some deep technical details, not in this basic list.
