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SN 35.53PTS SN 4.301 min read

Giving Up Ignorance

Avijjāpahānasutta

A mendicant asks the Buddha how to see so as to give up ignorance. The Buddha says one should see the six interior and exterior sense fields as impermanent.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.53Linked Discourses 35.53
  • 0.26. Avijjāvagga6. Ignorance

0.3AvijjāpahānasuttaGiving Up Ignorance

1.1PTS 4.31Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

1.3“kathaṁ nu kho, bhante, jānato kathaṁ passato avijjā pahīyati, vijjā uppajjatī”ti?“Sir, how does one know and see so as to give up ignorance and give rise to knowledge?”

2.1“Cakkhuṁ kho, bhikkhu, aniccato jānato passato avijjā pahīyati, vijjā uppajjati.“Mendicant, knowing and seeing the eye, sights, eye consciousness, and eye contact as impermanent, ignorance is given up and knowledge arises.2.2Rūpe aniccato jānato passato avijjā pahīyati, vijjā uppajjati.2.3Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ …2.4cakkhusamphassaṁ …2.5yampidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi aniccato jānato passato avijjā pahīyati, vijjā uppajjati.And also knowing and seeing the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on eye contact as impermanent, ignorance is given up and knowledge arises.

2.6Sotaṁ …Knowing and seeing the ear …2.7ghānaṁ …nose …2.8jivhaṁ …tongue …2.9kāyaṁ …body …

2.10manaṁ aniccato jānato passato avijjā pahīyati, vijjā uppajjati.Knowing and seeing the mind, ideas, mind consciousness, and mind contact as impermanent, ignorance is given up and knowledge arises.2.11Dhamme …2.12manoviññāṇaṁ …2.13manosamphassaṁ …2.14yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi aniccato jānato passato avijjā pahīyati, vijjā uppajjati.And also knowing and seeing the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises dependent on mind contact as impermanent, ignorance is given up and knowledge arises.

2.15Evaṁ kho, bhikkhu, jānato evaṁ passato avijjā pahīyati, vijjā uppajjatī”ti.That’s how to know and see so as to give up ignorance and give rise to knowledge.”

2.16Paṭhamaṁ.