Editing Omniscience (section)

==In religion==
===Buddhism===
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The topic of omniscience has been much debated in various Indian traditions, but no more so than by the Buddhists. After [[Dharmakirti]]'s excursions into the subject of [[pramana|what constitutes a valid cognition]], [[Śāntarakṣita]] and his student [[Kamalaśīla]] thoroughly investigated the subject in the [[Tattvasamgraha]] and its commentary the Panjika. The arguments in the text can be broadly grouped into four sections:
* The refutation that cognitions, either perceived, inferred, or otherwise, can be used to refute omniscience.
* A demonstration of the possibility of omniscience through apprehending the selfless universal nature of all knowables, by examining what it means to be ignorant and the nature of mind and awareness.
* A demonstration of the total omniscience where all individual characteristics (svalaksana) are available to the omniscient being.
* The specific demonstration of [[Shakyamuni Buddha]]'s non-exclusive omniscience, but the knowledge of Shakyamuni Buddha's is really infinite and no other [[Hindu deities|gods]] or being can match his true omniscience.<ref>McClintock, Sara L. (2010). ''Omniscience and the Rhetoric of Reason''. Wisdom Publications.</ref>

===Christianity===
{{See also|Attributes of God in Christianity}}
Some modern [[Christian theology|Christian theologian]]s argue that God's omniscience is inherent rather than total, and that God chooses to limit his omniscience in order to preserve the free will and dignity of his creatures.<ref>[[John Polkinghorne]], ''Science and Theology'' SPCK/Fortress Press, 1998. {{ISBN|0-8006-3153-6}}</ref> [[John Calvin]], among other theologians of the 16th century, comfortable with the definition of God as being omniscient in the total sense, in order for worthy beings' abilities to choose freely, embraced the doctrine of [[predestination]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Pike|first=Nelson|s2cid=170519806|date=January 1965|title=Divine Omniscience and Voluntary Action|journal=The Philosophical Review|volume=74|issue=1|at=p. 30|jstor=2183529|doi=10.2307/2183529|url=https://philarchive.org/rec/PIKDOA }}</ref>

===Hinduism===
In the [[Bhakti]] tradition of [[Vaishnavism]], where [[Vishnu]] is worshipped as the supreme God,  Vishnu is attributed with numerous qualities such as omniscience, energy, strength, lordship, vigour, and splendour.<ref name="Tapasyananda">{{cite book | author = Tapasyananda | year =  1991 | title =  Bhakti Schools of Vedānta | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Q_VtAAAACAAJ | isbn = 978-81-7120-226-3 | publisher = Sri Ramakrishna Math | location = Madras}}</ref>

===Islam===
[[God in Islam]] is attributed with absolute omniscience. God knows the past, the present, and the future. It is compulsory for a [[Muslim]] to believe that God is indeed omniscient as stated in one of the [[Iman (concept)#The Six Articles of Faith|six articles of faith]] which is:
* To believe that God's divine decree and predestination

{{quote|Say: Do you instruct God about your religion? But God knows all that is in the heavens and on the earth; God is Knowing of all things|[[al-Hujurat|Quran 49:16]]|}}

It is believed that humans can only change their [[Predestination in Islam|predestination]] (wealth, health, deed etc.) and not divine decree (date of birth, date of death, family etc.), thus allowing free will.

===Baha'i Faith===
Omniscience is an attribute of God, yet it is also an attribute that reveals sciences to humanity: {{quote|In like manner, the moment the word expressing My attribute “The Omniscient” issueth forth from My mouth, every created thing will, according to its capacity and limitations, be invested with the power to unfold the knowledge of the most marvelous sciences, and will be empowered to manifest them in the course of time at the bidding of Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Knowing.|[[Bahai.org|Baha'i Reference Library]]|}}

===Jainism===
{{Main article|Kevala jnana}}
In [[Jainism]], omniscience is considered the highest type of perception. In the words of a Jain scholar, "The perfect manifestation of the innate nature of the self, arising on the complete annihilation of the obstructive veils, is called omniscience."{{sfn|Mehta|1954|p= 99}}

Jainism views infinite knowledge as an inherent capability of every soul. ''[[Arihant (Jainism)|Arihanta]]'' is the word used by Jains to refer to those human beings who have conquered all inner passions (like attachment, greed, pride, anger) and possess ''Kevala Jnana'' (infinite knowledge). They are said to be of two kinds:{{sfn|Sangave|2001|p=16}}
# ''Sāmānya kevali'' – omniscient beings (''Kevalins'') who are concerned with their own liberation.
# ''[[Tirthankara]] kevali'' – human beings who attain omniscience and then help others to achieve the same.{{sfn|Sangave|2001|p=16}}