What is jnana yoga?

What is Jnana Yoga?

Jnana Yoga is also called the Yoga of Knowledge. Jnana (sometimes written as gyan) means knowledge or wisdom.

The tradition of Jnana Yoga or Knowledge Yoga lays stress, not on rituals or ceremony or prayer, but on knowledge alone. They believe that knowledge alone liberates the mind. In this context, knowledge does not mean collected data or information. It transcends that to mean comprehension, experience and discernment. This knowledge gives a clear perception and leads to self awareness and consciousness of self.

Jnana Yoga lays great stress on using the mind to transcend the higher levels of the mind. It stimulates those areas of the mind to strive further and further, to know and to understand. The path is eight-limbed. They are self discipline, detachment, hearing the truth, reflecting upon the truth, longing for freedom, consolidating all knowledge, realization and transcending all self.

The Atman or Self: Jnana Yoga believes that the Atman (soul or self) is independent of mind and body. It is infinite, unchanging, immortal and free.

This Atman is Satchidananda Swaroopa which means Bliss-Absolute, Consciousness-Absolute and Existence-Absolute.

Since the Atman is immortal, you should not grieve when anyone dies, for it is only the unreal body which perishes. The dweller inside is immortal. The Atman is deathless, birth-less, changeless and cannot be hurt by anyone. Fire, bombs, swords or machine guns cannot kill the Atman. You are an immortal soul as are your mother, father, wife, children or all relatives and friends. Therefore grieve not when they die, for their Atman is imperishable.

But this Atman must be realized through meditation and that is where Jnana Yoga or Knowledge Yoga comes in. Once you have knowledge of your own Self (Atman), you will annihilate all ignorance, and all your miseries will come to an end. You will realize the Truth – that you are an All-Blissful Soul.

Once you realize this Truth, you will also realize that all subtle desires (Vasana) and cravings (Trishna) are only momentary sensations and excitements of the flesh, which destroy the mind. Eternal bliss is to be found only in your own Inner Atman (Self). Once you give up thinking of your body, you will have attained self-realization. You will be free and will attain Moksha (complete freedom of soul).

Jnana Yoga shows the path to discernment and wisdom. The jnana yogi (practitioner)  practices meditation and becomes attuned with reality. He becomes transformed and enlightened.

Neti-neti: One of the ways to accomplish this is through a technique called ‘net-neti’. ‘Net-neti’ means ‘not this, not this’.  When distracting thoughts, fears, doubts or worries which are not conducive to the goal of meditation enters the mind, the meditator immediately says, ‘not this, not this’ and banishes these images, sounds or thoughts. These distractions are discarded until the mind becomes clear and the Atman (Self or soul) is revealed.

Jnana Yoga helps an individual to realize this deep enlightenment.