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more complex by the refusal of even the Hīnayāna School to apply these terms to the Arhats, who also were believed to have attained Nirvāṇa, and was therefore, as free from samsāra as their Omniscient Master. Whatever be the precise difference between the status of an Arhat and a Buddha, even a causal study of the Buddhist scriptures would show that the Buddha's 'omniscience' was of a different kind than that of Mahāvīra and that the Buddhists, aware of this difference, altered their interpretations in order to minimize it. The use of word sabbaññuta-ñāna is highly significant as it distinguishes the Buddha's enlightenment from the ordinary yogic perception like clairvoyance and telepathy and clearly identifies it with nothing less than omniscience. It equates Sarvajñată with Mārgajñatā. According to Buddhism, the knowledge of ultimate truth is attained through constant contemplation on the four Noble truths. When contemplation reaches to its highest and most perfect stage, the aspirant has a most distinct vision; of these truths which is perceptual not conceptual. Šāntarakṣita maintains that knowledge (prajñā) means the cognition of Dharmas. It is incomplete as long as even a single Dharma remains unknown. The Buddhists meant by complete knowledge the knowledge of virtues and vices or the things that are desirable and undesirable. Dharmakīrti says that it does not matter whether a person does or does not apprehend all the objects. He, ridiculing the idea of total omniscience asks that what is the use of knowing the infinite number of insects and worms for our spiritual realization and advocates that true knowledge consists in the knowing about what is desirable and what is not along with their causes, e.g. the four noble truths of Buddha. Dharmakīrti's omniscience Being is the unapproachable limit of human cognition.28 Omniscience in Sāṁkhya-Yoga system
The Sāṁkhya-Yoga system gives a vivid description of the stages attained by an aspirant along with supernatural powers, which he comes to possess. Omniscience is also one of the supernatural powers. According to Yogabhāsya, vivekakyāti is the highest goal of human pursuit, which is attained through Aștāngayoga i.e. Yama,
