Concept
Ajñana
Overview
Ajñāna (Sanskrit: अज्ञान, (Vedic) IPA: /ɐd͡ʑ.ɲɑː.nɐ/; (Classical) IPA: /ɐd͡ʑˈɲɑː.n̪ɐ/) is an ancient nāstika, or 'heterodox,' Indian school of agnosticism that embraces radical skepticism. It emerged as a Śramaṇa movement and was a major rival of early Buddhism, Jainism and the Ājīvika school. They have been recorded in Buddhist and Jain texts. They held that it was impossible to obtain knowledge of metaphysical nature or ascertain the truth value of philosophical propositions; and even if knowledge was possible, it was useless and disadvantageous for final salvation. They specialized in refutation without propagating any positive doctrine of their own. Sanjaya Belatthiputta was one of the major proponents of this school of thought.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Philosophers who discussed Ajñana
Related ideas
- Ājīvika
- Pyrrhonism
- Pyrrho
- Jainism
- Sextus Empiricus
- Āstika and nāstika
- Philosophical skepticism
- Nagarjuna
- Śāriputra
- Ataraxia
- Śramaṇa
- Yajnavalkya
- Maudgalyayana
- Hindu philosophy
- The Buddha
- Rigveda
- Samaññaphala Sutta
- Madhyamaka
- Pre-sectarian Buddhism
- Nasadiya Sukta
- Alexander the Great
- Diogenes Laertius
- Makkhali Gosala
- K. N. Jayatilleke
Place in the tradition
Part of Outline of philosophy.
Narrower topics:
- Alexander the Great
- Diogenes Laertius
- Gorgias
- Hindu philosophy
- Jainism
- K. N. Jayatilleke
- Madhyamaka
- Makkhali Gosala
- Maudgalyayana
- Nagarjuna
- Pre-sectarian Buddhism
- Samaññaphala Sutta
- The Buddha
- Yajnavalkya
- Śāriputra
- Jayarāśi Bhaṭṭa
- Brahmajāla Sutta
- Sanjaya Belatthiputta
- Shriharsha
- Aṭṭhakavagga and Pārāyanavagga
- Purana Kassapa