[Buddha-l] A vocabulary question for Stephen and Lance (oranyoneelse)

[L.S. Cousins]

Stephen,

You write:
>My understanding of "wisdom" is neatly encapsulated by the Oxford 
>Dictionary definitions I have to hand:
>
>1.    The state of being wise.
>*     Praj~naa is not a state according to the definitions I 
>provided previously.
>2.    Experience and knowledge together with the power of applying 
>them critically or practically.
>*     This is better but still not really adequate -- praj~naa is a 
>function and the definitions I gave do not seem to incorporate 
>"experience and knowledge", though these might arise from it.
>3.    Sagacity, prudence, common sense
>*    Not sagacity, prudence unlikely, but possibly sometimes common sense.

Looking in an older version, we have:

Being wise, (possession of) experience & knowledge together with the 
power, etc.

Note that this does not mention 'state'.

There also (for wise) we have:
(arch.) having occult power or knowledge of mysterious things

This is plainly not archaic, although the editors of the OED may wish it were.

I would put it the other way round. Paññavaa plainly can mean wise; 
so paññaa must mean wisdom ! But I do not object to other 
translations, such as 'understanding'.

>>For the Pali tradition paññaa is only found in some skilful states 
>>of mind. So it is definitely not the case that everybody has it. In 
>>this respect the Pali tradition has resisted the tendency towards a 
>>more intellectual interpretation.
>When you say the Pali tradition, is this shorthand for the 
>Theravadan tradition ?

In the tradition preserved in the Pali language. Theravaadins have 
obviously used many other languages - including Sanskrit.

>Are you saying that pa~n~na is a state of mind rather than a 
>function of mind ?

There is no such thing as a state of mind in abhidha(r)mma (or at 
least not in the older pre-Mahaayaana forms). So to be paññavaa is 
simply to have many specific acts of paññaa. But this is not true of 
Suttanta where paññaa has a more general meaning. The definitions 
people have been citing are effectively from abhidha(r)mma literature.

>  I am not sure what you mean by a "more intellectual interpretation" 
>-- although it is my impression that pa~n~na and its verb forms are 
>used with little terminological baggage in the suttas.  Is there any 
>nuance of meaning between pajaanaati and jaanaati ?

Yes. You can also use jaanaati about knowing a name or fact. I don't 
think you would use pajaanaati in that way. It always refers to 
knowing or understanding something about names, facts, etc.

Lance Cousins