The term Gnosticism is derived from the Greek term "gnosis" which means "to know," and is the root of many English words (dia-gno-sis, kno-wledge, i-gno-re). Gnosticism refers to an exceptionally wide variety of groups who seek "Gnosis," or direct, spiritual knowledge, as opposed to those groups who rely exclusively on belief. The term Gnosis or Gnosticism has been used in spiritual teachings for unknown centuries. It was used in early Greek philosophy and expressed the foundation of the Greek Mystery Schools, yet it is still debated today which came first: the Greek "Gnosis" or the Sanskrit "Jnana," a term commonly associated with Jnana Yoga, or the path of the knowledge of the divine, whose age and origin is unknown. Nonetheless, there is evidence that the ancient Greek and Hindu schools of divine knowledge learned from each other. Some say that Alexander the Great sought for Gnosis among the Indian yogis. It is commonly believed that Gnosticism refers exclusively to a handful of phi- Category ID : 459685