WISDOM IS OFTEN SPOKEN OF AS THE HEART of the Buddhist path, but what do we really mean when we use the term? In the Tibetan tradition, we find two distinct dimensions of wisdom: The first — known as prajna in Sanskrit and sherap in Tibetan — is the insight we develop through study and practice. It is acquired wisdom. The second is not acquired; it is innate. This form of wisdom is known as jnana in Sanskrit and yeshe in Tibetan. This is the innate and primordial knowing that is always with us. 

At first glance, they may seem like completely different things — one requiring effort and refinement, the other a simple recognition of what is already here. But in truth, they are inseparable. Prajna clears the obscurations that veil jnana, while jnana is the ever-present ground that makes prajna possible. Understanding this relationship is key, for without it, we may find ourselves either endlessly accumulating knowledge or passively waiting for realization that never comes.

Let’s dig a little deeper into the first of these: prajna. Whether we know it or not, gaining wisdom is often one of the main reasons we meditate in the first place. Maybe we want to be less stressed or have more calm in our lives. Or perhaps we want something more meaningful and fulfilling in our lives than our endless to-do list. All of this requires insight and understanding. It doesn’t matter if we’re looking for a little stress relief or complete and total awakening, we need to develop some understanding of our mind, our emotions, and how the whole game of life actually works. 

This kind of understanding is the domain of prajna. It is wisdom, but a very specific kind of wisdom — an acquired wisdom, something that comes from practicing on the path. It is not something we necessarily have from the beginning; rather, it is something we gain through practice.

There are many layers to prajna. For example, when you think about Abhidharma, it is essentially a tradition that aims to generate prajna. It lays out roadmaps of experience, countless lists, and categories, all with the purpose of helping us observe our own minds. Through that observation, we begin to notice subtle mental processes that were always present but had gone unrecognized. This kind of wisdom is something that emerges through practice.

If you’ve never heard of Abhidharma and have never meditated, you might sign up for a meditation course. Slowly you start observing your inner experience. You begin with something as simple as watching your breath, and suddenly you notice subtle aspects of your experience you hadn’t seen before. This process dissolves misunderstandings you have about yourself, misunderstandings that contribute to suffering.

For instance, we often carry around a very solid sense of identity, but this is an oversimplification. Our experience is far more complex and rich than we assume. Unquestioned, unconscious assumptions shape the way we live our lives. But when we engage in meditative exploration, using frameworks like the five skandhas, we can begin to tease apart the solidity of our perceptions and bring them into conscious awareness. Once we see them clearly, we can challenge them — questioning, for example, whether the self we take for granted is actually as solid and real as we assume.

This is a process. As we engage in it, we develop more prajna, more understanding. Initially, our understanding is theoretical. Then, through contemplation and direct experience, it shifts into something deeper. At a certain point, something clicks—our understanding moves from intellectual to experiential.

This progression is mapped out in what are called the three forms of prajna, also known in Tibetan as the three forms of sherap or the three wisdoms. These are:

1. The Wisdom of Hearing – The first stage, where we gain an intellectual understanding through study — whether by reading, listening, or engaging with teachings conceptually. This is already a form of prajna because it is acquired knowledge.
2. The Wisdom of Contemplation – The next stage, where we examine our experience and generate insight through reflection. This is a different kind of knowing beyond mere theoretical knowledge.
3. The Wisdom of Meditation – The final stage, where we directly experience the truth of what we have studied and contemplated. At this point, understanding shifts to a more experiential way of knowing.

All of this falls within the scope of prajna. When we hear the term prajna, we are talking about this process — an acquired wisdom, a shift in perspective that arises through practice.

Excerpted from Cortland Dahl’s monthly Dharma Geek sessions on Vajrayana Online. 

March 2025