substantif (féminin) : connaissance supérieure
verbe : forme abrégée de l'intensif abhiññāya, notamment dans l'expression sayaṃ abhiññā(ya) : “par connaissance (ou expérience) personnelle”
abhiññā 1 （f.） [fr. abhi + jñā，see jānāti]. Rare in the older texts. It appears in two contexts. Firstly，certain conditions are said to conduce （inter alia） to serenity，to special knowledge （abhiññā），to special wisdom，and to Nibbāna. These conditions precedent are the Path （S.V，421 = Vin.I，10 = S.IV，331），the Path + best knowledge and full emancipation （A.V，238），the Four Applications of Mindfulness （S.V，179） and the Four Steps to Iddhi （S.V，255）. The contrary is three times stated； wrong-doing，priestly superstitions，and vain speculation do not conduce to abhiññā and the rest （D.III，131； A.III，325 sq. andV，216）. Secondly，we find a list of what might now be called psychic powers. It gives us 1，Iddhi （cp. levitation）； 2，the Heavenly Ear （cp. clairaudience）； 3，knowing others’thoughts （cp. thought-reading）； 4，recollecting one’s previous births； 5，knowing other people’s rebirths； 6，certainty of emancipation already attained （cp. final assurance）. This list occurs only at D.III，281 as a list of abhiññās. It stands there in a sort of index of principal subjects appended at the end of the Dīgha，and belongs therefore to the very close of the Nikāya period. But it is based on older material. Descriptions of each of the six，not called abhiññā’s，and interspersed by expository sentences or paragraphs，are found at D.I，89 sq. （trsl. Dial. I.89 sq.）； M.I，34 （see Buddh. Suttas，210 sq.）； A.I，255，258 = III，17，280 = IV.421. At S.I，191； Vin.II，16； Pug.14，we have the adj. chaḷabhiññā （“endowed with the 6 Apperceptions”）. At S.II，216 we have five，and at S.V，282，290 six abhiññā’s mentioned in glosses to the text. And at S.II，217，222 a bhikkhu claims the 6 powers. See also M.II，11； III，96. It is from these passages that the list at D.III，has been made up，and called abhiññā’s.
Afterwards the use of the word becomes stereotyped. In the Old Commentaries （in the Canon），in the later ones （of the 5th cent. A.D.），and in medieval and modern Pāli，abhiññā，nine times out ten，means just the powers given in this list. Here and there we find glimpses of the older，wider meaning of special，supernormal power of apperception and knowledge to be acquired by long training in life aud thought. See Nd1 108，328 （expln. of ñāṇa）； Nd2 s. v. and N0. 466； Ps.I，35； II，156，189； Vbh.228，334； Pug.14； Nett 19，20； Miln.342； Vism.373； Mhvs XIX.20； DA.I，175； DhA.II，49； IV，30； Sdhp.228，470，482. See also the discussion in the Cpd. 60 sp.，224 sq. For the phrase sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā and abhiññā-vosita see abhijānāti. The late phrase yath’abhiññaṁ means “as you please，according to liking，as you like” ，J.V，365 （= yathādhippāyaṁ yathāruciṁ C.）. For abhiññā in the use of an adj. （°abhiñña） see abhiñña.
abhiññā 2 ger. of abhijānāti.
abhijñā [act. abhijñā_1] f. souvenir, rappel | bd. faculté supernaturelle du Buddha; on en compte cinq: pouvoir de se montrer sous une forme quelconque, audition ou vue à distance quelconque, influence sur les pensées d'une personne, connaissance de son état et de ses antécédents || pali abhiññā.