➥ paññā: 'understanding, knowledge, wisdom, insight', comprises a very wide field. The specific Buddhist knowledge or wisdom, however, as part of the Noble Eightfold Path (see magga) to deliverance, is insight (see vipassanā), i.e. that intuitive knowledge which brings about the 4 stages of holiness and the realization of Nibbāna (see ariyapuggala), and which consists in the penetration of the impermanency (see anicca), misery (dukkha, see sacca) and impersonality (anattā) of all forms of existence. Further details, see under tilakkhaṇa.

With regard to the condition of its arising one distinguishes 3 kinds of knowledge knowledge based on thinking (cintā-mayā-paññā), knowledge based on learning (suta-mayā-paññā), knowledge based on mental development (bhāvanā-mayā-paññā) (DN 33).

”'Based on thinking' is that knowledge which one has accquired through one's own thinking, without having learnt it from others. 'Based on learning' is that knowledge which one has heard from others and thus acquired through learning. 'Based on mental development' is that knowledge which one has acquired through mental development in this or that way, and which has reached the stage of full concentration” appanā, Visuddhi Magga XIV

Wisdom is one of the 5 mental faculties (see bala), one of the 3 kinds of training (see sikkhā), and one of the perfections (see pāramī) For further details, see vipassanā, and the detailed exposition in Visuddhi Magga XIV, 1-32.