Seven Ways of Knowing Objects

Ways of knowing or cognition theory is a major component of the Buddhist map of the mind, since it relates to how we experience the four noble truths. They describe how we experience the deluded side, the non-valid ways of knowing, which would be true sufferings and their causes. The ways of knowing also describe the liberated side of the noble truths, the true stopping and the true paths that bring that about; in other words, our valid ways of knowing that are going to free us from the first two noble truths. We need to understand and differentiate these different ways of knowing in order to understand what it is that we need to rid ourselves of in order to become free from our problems and achieve liberation.