Ignorance
Avijjā Sutta (SN 38:9)
On one occasion Ven. Sāriputta was staying in Magadha near Nāla Village. Then Jambukhādaka the wanderer went to Ven. Sāriputta and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to Ven. Sāriputta: “‘Ignorance, ignorance,’ it is said, my friend Sāriputta. Which ignorance (are they referring to)?”
“Not knowing in terms of stress, not knowing in terms of the origination of stress, not knowing in terms of the cessation of stress, not knowing in terms of the path of practice for the cessation of stress: This is called ignorance.”
“But is there a path, is there a practice for the abandoning of this ignorance?”
“Yes, there is a path, there is a practice for the abandoning of this ignorance.”
“Then what is the path, what is the practice for the abandoning of this ignorance?”
“Precisely this noble eightfold path, my friend: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This is the path, this is the practice for the abandoning of this ignorance.”
“It’s an auspicious path, my friend, an auspicious practice for the abandoning of these this ignorance—enough for the sake of heedfulness.”
