Paññā as a Path to Liberation: Insights from Canonical Suttas and Jātaka Narratives

Abstract

Paññā, often translated as wisdom or insight, is a central concept in Buddhist philosophy and practice. This paper explores the multifaceted role of paññā as depicted in the Pāli Canon’s suttas and the Jātaka stories, illustrating how it serves as a critical path toward liberation (nibbāna). While the suttas present paññā primarily as penetrating understanding of the nature of reality—impermanence, suffering, and non-self—the Jātakas offer narrative exemplifications of wisdom in action, often through the ethical and moral conduct of the Bodhisatta in previous lives. By comparing these two genres, this study highlights paññā’s doctrinal and practical dimensions, revealing its indispensable role in the Buddhist path and its integration with ethical virtues. The findings emphasize paññā as both a cultivated cognitive faculty and a lived experience that transforms the practitioner’s perception and behavior, thus enabling ultimate freedom.