विञ्ञान
Viññāṇa
Consciousness / Cognition / Discernment
識
Grammar 語法
neuter noun (a-stem): vi (distinctively) + jānāti (knows) — 'discerning knowing'
Definition 釋義
Consciousness — the third aggregate (khandha) and the third link of Dependent Origination. In the Abhidhamma, viññāṇa consists of 89 (or 121) types of citta classified by plane, quality, and function. As a link of Dependent Origination, viññāṇa conditions nāma-rūpa (name-and-form) and is itself conditioned by saṅkhāra (formations/volitional activities). Importantly, viññāṇa is not a permanent soul or witness-self — it arises momentarily, conditioned by its respective sense base and object, and passes away.
Canonical Example 典籍例句
Viññāṇaṃ, bhikkhave, aniccaṃ, vipariṇāmi, aññathābhāvi.
Consciousness, monks, is impermanent, changeable, liable to become otherwise.
Source: SN 22.57
At a Glance
- Pali
- Viññāṇa
- IAST
- Vijñāna
- Devanagari
- विञ्ञान
- Chinese
- 識
- Difficulty
- intermediate
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