Understanding as knowledge about language (Buddhism)

The knowledge referred to is of true etymological interpretation of meaning and law. This is of essential language where there are no exceptions, the "root speech of all beings". Understanding which arises on reflection of meaning and law in such language is of the imperishable and everlasting.

On the Path of Purification of Hinayana Buddhism, panna (understanding) is considered as of one kind (monad), of two kinds (dyads), of three kinds (triads) or of four kinds (tetrads). There are five dyads, four triads and two tetrads. All have the characteristic of penetrating the individual essences or true nature of states (monad). In the second tetrad, this is one of the four kinds of understanding as concerned with meaning, law, language and perspicuity. The four kinds of understanding are together referred to as the four discriminations or analyses.