The Meaning Of Ignorance In Buddhism.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.

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In the process of learning, studying or practicing Buddhism, we often come across the word " ignorance ". It is explained as "ignorance", the source of suffering, which must be dealt with first. But what is ignorance? And is its meaning a lack of common knowledge as we often think? Let's study Buddha Lotus about this term.

What is Ignorance?

Ignorance (Sanskrit: avidyā, Pali: avijjā, Tibetan: marigpa) in Buddhism is often translated as "ignorance". However, the ignorance here is not uneducated or unaware of many things, but  misconceptions about the nature of reality .

Ignorance is the source of suffering  (dukkha), the cause of craving and hatred of humans. Therefore, "ignorance" here is a subtle understanding of the true nature of the phenomenal world.

It can also be defined as not understanding  the full meaning of the Four Noble Truths . Ignorance is defined in the following Buddhist teachings:

• Four Noble Truths
• The first link in the twelve links of dependent origination
• One of the three poisons in Mahayana Buddhism
• One of the six fetters (kleshas) in the Mahayana Abhidharma teachings (Abhidharma, Abhidharma)
• One of the ten fetters in Theravada Buddhism, equivalent to moha (illusion, faint)

In the context of the  twelve conditions , Ignorance often represents a person who is blind or blindfolded.

Word:  Ignorance (Avidyā) is a term derived from India (in Vedas), it is a combination of 2 words a and vidya, meaning "no vidya". The word vidya means "to know, to understand, to look, to understand". Therefore, avidya means "not knowing or not understanding".

Meaning Overview

Ignorance is explained in different ways, at different levels in different Buddhist teachings or traditions. On the most basic level, it is a lack of understanding or misconceptions about the true nature of existence.

More specifically, the Four Noble Truths and the doctrines of impermanence, non-self or emptiness. In Buddhism and other Indian philosophies, ignorance is often translated as "ignorance", but for Alex Wayman (Buddhist researcher / 1921-2004), this meaning is incomplete and he suggest the phrase "lack of insight" as a better expression.

The Meaning Of Ignorance In Buddhism

Ignorance appears as a major discussion item in two theories about the nature of reality, in different Buddhist traditions. One relates to the  doctrine of anatta (Anatta), which is a lack of understanding or misconceptions about "self". The second involves the  impermanent doctrine  (Anicca), which is a lack of understanding or misconceptions about "eternity", when the true nature of reality is constantly changing.

Normally, we only believe what we feel through the five physical senses, a practical and logical scientific evidence. So we have a misconception about what is outside of our experience data, thereby making inaccurate decisions.

For example, a fish does not see the hook hidden behind a good bait, so it often has trouble making decisions. If it sees the whole image, it can recognize that there is something wrong and does not try to take the bait.

Like the fish in the example above, we see the pleasures of life through limited understanding, and therefore, we try to own them in every way including negative actions. This limited perspective prevents us from realizing that the true nature of these pleasures is only temporary and non-essential.

The Buddha  is the one who sees the whole picture, He shows us that big picture and explains why we should believe it.

In Theravada Buddhism

Bhikkhu Bodhi says that  ignorance is an important part of  Theravada doctrine , which helps to understand the dependence arising from the conditions of maintaining the life cycle. One of those conditions is karma arising from ignorance. In other words, ignorance conceals "awareness of the true nature of things as well as cataracts that mask the perception of visible objects."

In the text Suttanta Pitaka, this lack of understanding refers to not understanding the true meaning of the Four Noble Truths. In the Abhidharma text, in addition to the Four Noble Truths, there is a lack of understanding of the "past of a person's death", "life after death" and dependent generation.

Ignorance is defined as the first of the twelve links (12 nidanas) describing why a body is formed and still bound in the cycle of reincarnation, a cycle of life and death repeated repeatedly. take.

The twelve conditions are an application of dependent origination (prattyasamutpāda). This doctrine is presented in the Samyutta Nikaya II.2-4 sutta and Digha Nikaya II.55-63, affirming that rebirth appears through a series of twelve links originating from ignorance and ending with sabotage. kill to recreate an endless cycle of dukkha (suffering, dissatisfaction).

In Mahayana Buddhism

The Mahayana tradition considers the lack of understanding of the nature of the past and the past life as a primitive force, which can only be broken through the insight of  emptiness  (Sunyata).

Ignorance is the greatest impurity and  the main cause of suffering , leading to a person having to be  reborn endlessly in the cycle of reincarnation . The insight into emptiness (everything that is empty and non-essential) will bring about full awareness.

In  the Mahayana tradition , there are two levels of ignorance that are defined. Dzigar Kongtrul explains:

There are two levels of ignorance: The lack of understanding of absoluteness, or the essential nature of phenomena, and ignorance prevent us from understanding the relative world correctly. These two types of ignorance are like two threads woven tightly together, and we do not easily identify them, but they form an illusionary fabric.

We lack wisdom to understand the true nature of existence, we think everything in this world is solid and true. Since then do not understand the  law of cause and effect, the industrial reactions and the interdependence, which leads to an inappropriate relationship between us and this world.

In Vajrayana Buddhism

The Vajrayana tradition sees  ignorance as a trap that  binds a person to the cycle of reincarnation. The  teachings of Tantric Buddhism  focus on practicing the esoteric path (Tantric) under the guidance of a teacher, to eliminate ignorance and attain liberation in a single life.

How to Remove Ignorance

Ignorance or ignorance can be eliminated by nurturing the opposite state to it. It is a profound wisdom and awareness of the true nature of reality.

Buddha compares ignorance to darkness, and the only way to escape darkness is to bring light. Similarly, Buddha explained, ignorance can only be eliminated through training for wisdom.

No matter what, want to get rid of ignorance, we must cultivate wisdom by learning and practicing Dharma. First, we cultivate the wisdom to distinguish moral and immoral behavior, then understand the true nature of the world, ie  impermanence , selflessness and suffering .

Even if we are preached about it or understand it through the scriptures, it is not easy to eliminate ignorance. Because our minds have been covered by impurities that have accumulated from an inevitable beginning.

Therefore, we need to understand the "true nature of this complex world" through personal experience on  the path of practicing the Noble Eightfold Path . END=NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.GOLDEN AMITABHA MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.11/5/2019.