SN 45.1

Avijjāsutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti. “Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

Ignorance

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Avijjā, bhikkhave, pubbaṅgamā akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ samāpattiyā, anvadeva ahirikaṁ anottappaṁ. Avijjāgatassa, bhikkhave, aviddasuno micchādiṭṭhi pahoti; micchādiṭṭhissa micchāsaṅkappo pahoti; micchāsaṅkappassa micchāvācā pahoti; micchāvācassa micchākammanto pahoti; micchākammantassa micchāājīvo pahoti; micchāājīvassa micchāvāyāmo pahoti; micchāvāyāmassa micchāsati pahoti; micchāsatissa micchāsamādhi pahoti.

“Mendicants, ignorance leads the attainment of unskillful qualities, with lack of conscience and prudence following along. An ignoramus, sunk in ignorance, produces wrong view. Wrong view produces wrong purpose. Wrong purpose produces wrong speech. Wrong speech produces wrong action. Wrong action produces wrong livelihood. Wrong livelihood produces wrong effort. Wrong effort produces wrong mindfulness. Wrong mindfulness produces wrong immersion.

Vijjā ca kho, bhikkhave, pubbaṅgamā kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ samāpattiyā, anvadeva hirottappaṁ. Vijjāgatassa, bhikkhave, viddasuno sammādiṭṭhi pahoti; sammādiṭṭhissa sammāsaṅkappo pahoti; sammāsaṅkappassa sammāvācā pahoti; sammāvācassa sammākammanto pahoti; sammākammantassa sammāājīvo pahoti; sammāājīvassa sammāvāyāmo pahoti; sammāvāyāmassa sammāsati pahoti; sammāsatissa sammāsamādhi pahotī”ti.

Knowledge leads the attainment of skillful qualities, with conscience and prudence following along. A knowing one, firm in knowledge, produces right view. Right view produces right purpose. Right purpose produces right speech. Right speech produces right action. Right action produces right livelihood. Right livelihood produces right effort. Right effort produces right mindfulness. Right mindfulness produces right immersion.”