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

[Dan Lusthaus]

Lance,

> There is no such thing as a state of mind in abhidha(r)mma (or at
> least not in the older pre-Mahaayaana forms).
[...]

> 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.

This is how an actual Mahayanist -- Asanga in the Yogacarabhumi -- defines
prajñā.

prajñā katamā / yat parīkṣya eva vastuni tatra tatra tad-anugo dharmāṇā
pravicayo yogavīhitato vā ayogavihitato vā na eva yogavihitato na
ayogavihitataḥ //

Your "definition" is not far from this.

Stephen can have fun matching up the Chinese to the Sanskrit (Xuanzang's
translation here is not loose)

慧云何？謂即於所觀察事、隨彼彼行、簡擇諸法性。或由如理所引，或由不如理所引，或由非如理非不如理所引。

Dan Lusthaus