Avijjā — Ignorance in Buddhism
In Pali, avijjā** means “ignorance” — not stupidity, but the fundamental lack of understanding of the Four Noble Truths.
“What is ignorance? Not knowing suffering, not knowing its origin, not knowing its cessation, not knowing the path — this is called ignorance.”
— Saṃyutta Nikāya 12.23
Role in dependent origination
Avijjā is the first link in the 12-fold chain:
avijjā → saṅkhāra → viññāṇa → …
As long as there is avijjā, there will be volitional formations, rebirth, and suffering.
Practical meaning
You don’t need to believe in “rebirth”. Just notice:
- “I don’t understand why I keep suffering” — that’s avijjā,
- “I react automatically” — that’s avijjā in action.
When you start seeing the truth — avijjā begins to fade. That’s the beginning of liberation.