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abhiññā
abhiñña
masc nom pl of abhiñña (adj); fem nom sg of abhiñña (adj); fem nom pl of abhiñña (adj); nt nom pl of abhiñña (adj); …
- abhiñña (adj): with direct knowledge; with experiential understanding; with realization; lit. completely knowing
- abhiññā (fem): direct knowledge; higher understanding; specialized knowledge; lit. complete knowledge
- abhiññā (fem): psychic power; supernormal ability; lit. complete knowledge
- abhiññā (ger): directly knowing; understanding experientially; lit. completely knowing
Built from
- abhi — prefix · toward, over
Concrete image of bearing down upon and penetrating; Latin ob- (observe, obtain). Here it intensifies and directs knowing inward.
- ñ(jñ) — root · know
Sanskrit jñāti, English 'know' from Proto-Indo-European *gn- (cognates: Greek gignōskō, German kennen). The root carries the sense of mental grasping.
- ā — ending · feminine noun
Forms an abstract feminine noun from the root, nominalized as 'knowing' or 'knowledge'. Marks this as feminine gender in Pali.
Analysis. abhi + ñ(j)ā: abhi- 'toward and over, bearing down' + √jñā 'to know', literally 'over-knowing', hence experiential knowing that penetrates fully through to the heart of a matter.
Etymology. abhi- (toward, over, pressing upon; Latin ob- as in observe) + √jñā (to know; Sanskrit jñāti, English cognate 'know' from *gn-; Greek gignōskō). The prefix shifts jñāna from mere intellectual knowing to direct insight piercing through appearance to reality.