Saṃyukta Āgama (292), Part 9

(9) Original text: The Buddha addressed the bhikkhus, "What do you think? If one does not delight in ignorance but gives rise to wisdom, would one subsequently, based on that ignorance, still create meritorious actions, non-meritorious actions, or actions that are neither meritorious nor non-meritorious?"

Explanation: The Buddha said to the bhikkhus: How do you view this matter? If you do not delight in ignorance, but wisdom arises in your mind, would you subsequently, due to the ignorance of the mental faculty, still create meritorious actions and non-meritorious actions, or create neutral actions that are neither meritorious nor non-meritorious?

Wisdom and ignorance are two opposing aspects. If there is ignorance, there is no wisdom; if there is wisdom, there is no ignorance. If ignorance diminishes, what remains is wisdom. If there is only wisdom, then ignorance ceases to exist. It is like the two sides of a scale: when ignorance rises, wisdom lowers. Where there is ignorance, there is no wisdom; where there is wisdom, there is no ignorance. If ignorance ceases to exist, the mental faculty will not produce mental formations, the six consciousnesses will not create bodily, verbal, or mental actions, one will not take rebirth again, and there will be no mind-and-body (nama-rupa). Without mind-and-body, there are no six sense bases; without the six sense bases, there is no contact; without contact, there is no feeling; without feeling, there is no craving; without craving, there is no grasping; without the desire to grasp and possess, there are no conditions for existence, and thus there is no becoming in the three realms. Without becoming, mind-and-body will not arise, and then old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are all extinguished and will not reappear. The problem of the suffering of birth and death is resolved.

In this way, the bhikkhus will depart from the three realms and attain liberation. However, this liberation is not ultimate liberation; it is merely the temporary cessation of the ignorance of one thought-instant. There still remain extremely numerous subtle ignorances that have not been eradicated, and therefore subtle sufferings of birth and death remain unextinguished. Thus, the liberation is not complete. Only the Buddha's liberation is ultimate liberation. How can one attain complete liberation like the Buddha? Then one should not depart from the three realms but instead make great vows, continue to practice the Mahayana, retain the five aggregates body, liberate oneself and others, seek enlightenment above and transform beings below, and perfect all dharmas. Only then can one attain ultimate liberation.