Gnosis: 4 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Vedanta
2. Yoga
In Buddhism
1. Theravada
2. Tibetan Buddhism
See also
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Introduction:

Gnosis means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

In Hinduism

Vedanta (school of philosophy)

: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): (Advaita Vedanta)

Gnosis is denoted by the Sanskrit term J帽膩na, according to the M膩峁囜笉奴kyopani峁tk膩rik膩 3.35cd-36.鈥擜ccordingly, while discussing Brahma (without attributes): 鈥淭hat very [mind, free of thought and restrained,] is fearless Brahma, [which is] the light of gnosis (箩帽腻苍补-腻濒辞办补) [pervading] everywhere. [It is] unborn, devoid of sleep and dreaming, unnamed, formless, manifested [all] at once and omniscient. [This statement] is not figurative in any way鈥�.

context information

Vedanta (啶掂啶︵ぞ啶ㄠ啶�, ved膩nta) refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).

Yoga (school of philosophy)

: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation by Jason Birch

Gnosis is denoted by the Sanskrit term J帽膩na, according to the 艢ivayogad墨pik膩 by Sad膩艣ivayog墨艣vara: a text dealing with 艢aivism and Ha峁環ayoga in two hundred and eighty-nine verses.鈥擜ccordingly, while discussing the difference between R膩jayoga and 艢aivayoga: 鈥淸...] Devotion is gnosis (箩帽腻苍补) full of 艢iva, and 艢aiva gnosis (箩帽腻苍补) is 艢iva鈥檚 nature. Since 艢aiva observance is worship of 艢iva, 艢iva's yoga is five-fold. He who is without the practice [of worshipping] 艢iva is certainly a bound soul, and he goes round and round forever in this cycle of birth and death鈥�.

context information

Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as 膩sanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

: Pali Kanon: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines

s. indriya (21).

context information

Therav膩da is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

: Google Books: The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems

Gnosis (in Tibetan: ye shes; Sanskrit: 箩帽腻苍补) 鈥� In contrast to wisdom (praj帽膩, shes rab), which may be either worldly or transmundane, gnosis usually connotes a realization of the nature of things that is profound and liberating. The 鈥渁ccumulation鈥� of gnosis on the bodhisattva path eventuates in the attainment of a buddha 's 诲丑补谤尘补办腻测补

context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha鈥檚 words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (惫补箩谤补测腻苍补) are collected indepently.

Relevant text

Search found 31 books and stories containing Gnosis; (plurals include: Gnosises). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Gnosis and Hermeticism: From Antiquity to Modern Times < [Volume 112 (2000)]

Buber as a Historian of Religion: Presence Over Gnosis < [Volume 101 (1998)]

Yogic Perception and Meditation: Exploring Altered States of Consciousness < [Volume 152 (2010)]

+ 8 more chapters / show preview

Bodies that matter < [Chapter 1 - The matter of the body]

The Yogab墨ja鈥檚 analysis of the body < [Chapter 2 - Begin by cooking yourself]

Defining a corpus < [Introduction: Female:body]

+ 5 more chapters / show preview

Part 3 - Concept of Vidy膩 and Avidy膩 < [Chapter 2 - Ved膩nta philosophy and Upani峁dic ideas]

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Ontological Bases of a Literary Work of Art -An Indian View

Reviews < [July 1963]