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Abhijñā (Sanskrit:अभिज्ञा;Pali pronunciation:abhiññā;Standard Tibetan:མངོན་ཤེསmngon shes;Chinese:六通／神通／六神通;pinyin:Liùtōng/Shéntōng/Liùshéntōng;Japanese:六神通,romanized: Rokujinzū/Rokujintsū) is a Buddhist term generally translated as "direct knowledge",[1] "higher knowledge"[2][3] or "supernormal knowledge."[2][4] InBuddhism, such special knowledge is obtained throughvirtuous living andmeditation. The attainment of the fourjhanas, or meditative absorptions, is considered a prerequisite for their attainment.[5] In terms of specifically enumerated knowledges, these include mundane extra-sensory abilities (such as seeing past lives and various supranormal powers like levitation) as well as the supramundane, meaning the extinction of all mental intoxicants (āsava).
InPali literature,abhiññā refers to both the direct apprehension ofdhamma (translated below as "states" and "qualities") as well as to specialized super-normal capabilities.
InSN 45.159, theBuddha describes "direct knowledge" (abhiññā) as a corollary to the pursuit of theNoble Eightfold Path:[3]
[A] monk who cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path, who assiduously practices the Noble Eightfold Path, comprehends with direct knowledge thosestates that are to be so comprehended, abandons with direct knowledge those states that are to be so abandoned, comes to experience with direct knowledge those states that are to be so experienced, and cultivates with direct knowledge those states that are to be so cultivated.
What, monks, are the states to be comprehended with direct knowledge?
They are thefive aggregates. Which five? The form aggregate, the feeling aggregate, the perception aggregate, the mental-formation aggregate, the consciousness-aggregate...What, monks, are the states to be abandoned with direct knowledge?
They areignorance and thedesire for [further] becoming.And what, monks, are the states to be experienced with direct knowledge?
They are true knowledge and liberation.And what, monk, are the states to be cultivated with direct knowledge?
They areserenity andinsight.
Such direct knowledge, according to the Buddha, is obscured by clinging to the five aggregates, desire and passion (chanda-rāga):[6]
Monks, any desire-passion with regard to the eye is adefilement of the mind. Any desire-passion with regard to the ear... the nose... the tongue... the body... the intellect is a defilement of the mind. When, with regard tothese six bases, the defilements of awareness are abandoned, then the mind is inclined torenunciation. The mind fostered by renunciation feels malleable for the direct knowing of thosequalities worth realizing.
In thePali Canon, the higher knowledges are often enumerated in a group of six or of three types of knowledge.
The six types of higher knowledges (chalabhiññā) are:
The attainment of these six higher powers is mentioned in a number ofdiscourses, most famously the "Fruits of Contemplative Life Discourse" (Samaññaphala Sutta,DN 2).[8] The attainment of the fourjhanas is considered to be a prerequisite for the attainment of the higher powers.[5] The sixth type is the ultimate goal of Buddhism, which is the end of all suffering and destruction of allignorance.[9] According to theBuddha, indulgence in theabhiññās should be avoided, as they can distract from the ultimate goal ofEnlightenment.[4]
Similarly, the three knowledges or wisdoms (tevijja ortivijja) are:
The three knowledges are mentioned in numerous discourses including theMaha-Saccaka Sutta (MN 36) in which the Buddha describes obtaining each of these three knowledges on the first, second and third watches respectively of the night of hisenlightenment. These forms of knowledge typically are listed as arising after the attainment of the fourthjhana.[11]
While such powers are considered to be indicative of spiritual progress, Buddhism cautions against their indulgence or exhibition since such could divert one from the true path of obtaining suffering'srelease.[9]
The first five types of Abhijna, are similar to thesiddhis ofyoga in Hinduism, mentioned in theBhagavata Purana and byPatanjali:[9]
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