Prajñā (Buddhism)
Prajñā (Sanskrit: प्रज्ञा) or paññā (Pāli: पञ्ञा), is a Buddhist term often translated as "wisdom", "intelligence", or "understanding". It is described in Buddhist commentaries as the understanding of the true nature of phenomena. In the context of Buddhist meditation, it is the ability to understand the three characteristics of all things: anicca (impermanence), dukkha (dissatisfaction or suffering), and anattā (non-self). Mahāyāna texts describe it as the understanding of "śūnyatā" (Skt; Eng: emptiness). It is part of the Threefold Training in Buddhism, and is one of the ten "pāramīs" of Theravada Buddhism and one of the six Mahāyāna  pāramitās. Etymology. "Prajñā" () is often translated as "wisdom", but according to Buddhist bioethics scholar Damien Keown, it is closer in meaning to "insight", "non-discriminating knowledge", or "intuitive apprehension". Pali scholars T. W. Rhys Davids and William Stede define "paññā" (Sanskrit: "prajñā") as "intelligence, comprising all the higher faculties of cognition" and "intellect as conversant with general truths". British Buddhist monk and Pāli scholar Ñāṇamoli Bhikkhu translates "Prajñā" (Pāli: "paññā"), as "understanding", specifically the "state of understanding". Ñāṇamoli Bhikkhu notes that Pāli makes a distinction between the "state of understanding" ("paññā") and the "act of understanding" ("pajānana") in a way  different than English does. Role in Buddhist traditions. "Paññā" is the fourth virtue of ten "pāramīs" found in late canonic (Khuddaka Nikāya) and Theravādan commentary, and the sixth of the six Mahāyāna "pāramitās". It is the third level of the Threefold Training in Buddhism consisting of "sīla", "samādhi", and "paññā". Theravada Buddhism. Theravada Buddhist commentator Acariya Dhammapala describes "paññā" as the comprehension of the characteristics of things or phenomena with skillful means. Dhammapala states that "paññā" has the attribute of penetrating the true nature of phenomena. Abhidharma commentaries relate that there are three types of "paññā". Thai Buddhist monk and  meditation-master Ajahn Lee classifies the first two types of "paññā" as Dhamma on the theory-level and the last as Dhamma on the practice-level. Ajahn Lee states that this results in two levels of "paññā:" mundane "paññā" which is the comprehension of worldly and Dhamma subjects, and transcendent "paññā" which is an awareness of the supramundane that is realized by enlightened beings. Abhidharma commentaries describe seven ways to gain "paññā". Section::::"Vipassanā Paññā". Buddhaghosa states in his commentary and meditation treatise, the "Visuddhimagga," that there are many different types and aspects of "paññā" but does not define them all . Buddhaghosa specifies "paññā" in relation to Buddhist meditation as being specifically "vipassanā-paññā" ("insight wisdom"). "Vipassanā-paññā" meaning insight knowledge endowed with virtue. Buddhaghosa defines "vipassanā-paññā" as “knowing in a particular mode separate from the modes of perceiving ("sañjānana") and cognizing ("vijjānana").”. Buddhaghosa makes the analogy of how a child, villager and money-changer sees money to explain his definition. The child can perceive ("sañjānana") coins through the senses but does not know the value, the villager knows the value of the coins and is conscious ("vijjānana") of the coins' characteristics as a medium of exchange, and the money -changer has an understanding ("paññā") of the coins that is even deeper than the surface understanding the villager has because the money-changer can identify which coins are real or fake, which village created it, etc. "Paññā" in the context of Buddhist meditation is described as essentially being the ability to understand the three characteristics of all things, namely impermanence, suffering and non-self. Buddhaghoṣa states that the function of "paññā" is "to abolish the darkness of delusion" in order to understand the "individual essence of states". Mahāyāna Buddhism. Buddhist-studies scholar Paul Williams states that Mahayana Buddhist tradition considers  the analysis of "prajñā" found in the Abhidharma texts to be incomplete. According to Williams, the Abhidharma description of "prajñā" stops at the discernment of "dharmas" as the final reality"," but Mahayana and some non-Mahayana schools go on to teach that all "dharmas" are empty ("dharma-śūnyatā)." Buddhist scholar John Makransky describes "dharmas" in this sense to mean "phenomena"."" Williams goes on to say that the meaning of "prajñā" according to Mahayana Prajñāpāramitā sutras is ultimately the state of understanding emptiness ("śūnyatā"). Religious studies scholar Dale S. Wright points to the "Heart Sutra" which states that those who want  to practice the profound perfection of wisdom (prajñā") should view things in this way [as empty]". Wright states this view is not wisdom, but having the view will make you wise. According to Williams, Indo-Tibetan Buddhist tradition also has another understanding of "prajñā," that is a meditative absorption or state of consciousness that results from analysis and leads to the ultimate truth.