This thesis has the objective: (1) to learn about the concepts of ñāṇa by the six schools of Indian philosophy; (2) to learn about the concept of ñāṇa by Theravāda Buddhist philosophy; and (3) to analytically compare the concepts of ñāṇa in the six schools of Indian Philosophy and the concept in Theravāda Buddhist philosophy.

The findings from the study reveal that the concepts of  ñāṇa by the six schools of Indian philosophy, namely, Nhayaya, Waisesika, Savakaya, Yoga, Mimangsa and Vedanta, indicate that to attain a ñāṇa is to understand about the Attā or Shivataman or Purusa (life), and the ultimate thing or Poramattaman or Brahman (the greatest life). In other words, one should know how to purify one’s shivataman or purusa so as to free one’s self from all the agony and from the circle of life-death and reincarnation. The six schools of Indian philosophy put the emphasis on Veda which is the ultimate scripture. To study Veda allows people to attain knowledge which is an element of ñāṇa. These six schools of Indian philosophy believe that to practise the Atsadang Yoga or the 8 Principles of Yoga will enable the practitioners to do meditation which is the main factor that causes Panyañāṇa (wisdom). This will purify Moksa – the land of eternal peace.

As for the Theravāda Buddhist philosophy, this school of philosophy believes that ñāṇa is the knowledge in the truth of life, which consists of 4 respects, namely, thukkha (the problem), smuhathai (the cause of the problem), niroth (the understanding in the cause of the problem) and muk (the solution to the problem. These four respects of the truth of life will lead to the three types of ñāṇa, namely, sajjañāṇa, kijjañāṇa and katañāṇa. the knowledge in the three types of ñāṇa will then lead to 12 ñāṇatassana (perspectives), namely, round 1: thukkhasajjañāṇa, smuhathaisajjañāṇa, nirothsajjañāṇa and mukksajjañāṇa; round 2: kijjañāṇa in thukka, kijjañāṇa in smuhathai, kijjañāṇa in niroth and kijjañāṇa in muk; and round 3: katañāṇa in thukka, katañāṇa in smuhathai, katañāṇa in niroth and katañāṇa in muk. The real knowledge in all the three ñāṇa leads to the understanding of the Trilaksana Principle which suggests that all the things in this world are anijjang (impermanent) thukkhang (subject to suffering) and anattā (non-self). In other words, everything happens, remains and perishes. This ñāṇa can be obtained when people follow the ‘The Noble Eightfold Paths’ principle and practise vipassana  so as to consider the four respects such as kaya, vethana, jittā and dhamma.

Compared with each other to see the similarity and difference, the six Indian schools philosophy and Theravāda Buddhist philosophy are similar to each other because they teach people to attain knowledge so as to understand life and stop the life cycle so as to attain Moksa or Nirvana. However, the six Indian schools and Theravāda Buddhist are different from each other in terms of the knowledge in self-identity of an individual. The six Indian schools define ñāṇa as an Attā or Shivataman or Purusa which is immortal and needs purification. At the mean time, Theravāda Buddhist defines ñāṇa as the knowledge of one’s self which is non-self. Both schools of philosophies suggest that ñāṇa can be obtained just when a person avoids bad things (believes in Silas) and regularly does meditation. However, Theravāda Buddhist emphasizes on vipassana by considering the four aspects such as kaya, vethana, jittā and dhamma

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