Now what is the content of specific prajna? It teaches that we should not attach to, or fear, ignorance itself, or any of the other links from birth to death. Rather, one should not be affected by ignorance; one should be able to be in the midst of samsara and not be affected. In principle, general prajna has more to do with escaping from ignorance, the source of our suffering. One tries to liberate one's body and mind from suffering to another state. On the other hand, specific prajna says that one need not escape from one's body and mind to gain liberation. If one can exist in samsara and not be affected by ignorance and by one's body and mind, this is liberation itself. There is no need to escape to another world to gain liberation. As long as you can put down attachment to one's body and mind, it is already liberation. If we can remain in samsara and still be liberated, that would be the bodhisattva ideal. Specific prajna says that one should not think about benefiting ourselves, but only about benefiting all sentient beings, whether close to us or distant. We should think about how we can best serve others, without thought of gain or loss to ourselves. With an attitude no longer troubled by self-centeredness, we will be practicing the way of a bodhisattva, the Mahayana way.

suchness Prajna and Inumination Prajna

A second way to dichotomize prajna is from the point of view of function. First is suchness prajna, which is present whether one knows it or not. Then there is illumination prajna, which is present when one has attained wisdom. When one's wisdom eye has opened, we have a mind that is not self-centered; one can apply this prajna to the benefit of people and the environment. One has no specific view of the world; there is only this prajna that one uses to perceive and understand the world. Illumination prajna refers to an active function, whereas suchness prajna is inactive. Suchness prajna is there whether one has wisdom or not, and illumination prajna refers to the function of wisdom seeing the world around oneself.

Worldly Prajna and Non-Worldly Prajna

A third way to dichotomize prajna is based on its different levels. First, there is worldly prajna, which is wisdom applied to a relative world, where we deal with people and the environment in relation to the self. Within such a relative world, there is a subject (oneself, and there are objects (other people and things).