Answer

In Jainism, the main three types of Gyaan are:

• Mati Gyaan – knowledge gained through the senses and mind
• Shrut Gyaan – knowledge gained through words, scriptures, and teachings
• Avadhi Gyaan – direct clairvoyant knowledge of material things within certain limits

Explanation

Jain Dharma traditionally describes five types of knowledge:

• Mati Gyaan
• Shrut Gyaan
• Avadhi Gyaan
• Manahparyaya Gyaan
• Keval Gyaan

If someone asks for the first three types, they usually mean:

• Mati Gyaan: Knowing through seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and thinking.
• Shrut Gyaan: Knowledge understood through language, explanation, scriptures, or the words of enlightened teachers.
• Avadhi Gyaan: A special direct knowledge that can perceive certain physical objects beyond normal senses, but only within limits.

Spiritual Understanding

Jainism teaches that knowledge is a natural quality of the soul. Due to karma, this knowledge is covered. As karmas are reduced, the soul’s knowledge becomes clearer and higher.

Takeaway

The three types of Gyaan are Mati Gyaan, Shrut Gyaan, and Avadhi Gyaan. They show the gradual development of knowledge from ordinary sensory understanding to higher direct perception.