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Linked Discourses 56.17 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 56.17

2. Rolling Forth the Wheel of Dhamma – 2. Dhammacakkappavattanavagga

SN 56.17 Ignorance – Avijjāsutta

 

Seated to one side, that bhikkhu said to the Buddha:

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, they speak of this thing called ‘ignorance’.

“‘avijjā, avijjā’ti, bhante, vuccati.

What is ignorance?

Katamā nu kho, bhante, avijjā;

And how is an ignorant person defined?”

kittāvatā ca avijjāgato hotī”ti?

“Not knowing about suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.

“Yaṁ kho, bhikkhu, dukkhe aññāṇaṁ, dukkhasamudaye aññāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhe aññāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya aññāṇaṁ—

This is called ignorance.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu, avijjā;

And this is how an ignorant person is defined.

ettāvatā ca avijjāgato hotīti.

That’s why you should practice meditation …”

Tasmātiha, bhikkhu, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.