Destroying Ignorance and Severing Kleshas: The True Spiritual Practice

The first four links in the Twelve Nidānas—ignorance, formations, consciousness, and name-and-form—demonstrate that the arising of name-and-form signifies the continuation of the suffering of birth-and-death. This cycle of suffering stems entirely from ignorance. Ignorance is folly, and folly gives rise to foolish karmic actions, which continuously drive the six consciousnesses to create afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion through bodily, verbal, and mental acts. This plants seeds of unwholesome karma, perpetuating the suffering of birth and death without end. Therefore, spiritual practice aims to eradicate the affliction of ignorance; once ignorance is destroyed, wisdom is attained.

Ignorance and wisdom stand in opposition, like the two ends of a scale that rise and fall alternately. Thus, when wisdom is present, afflictions cannot arise, and no unwholesome karmic actions rooted in afflictions will be created. When afflictions manifest, they reveal the presence of ignorance within the mind. The arising of any affliction occurs because ignorance exists and wisdom is absent; with wisdom, no afflictive karma is created. Whenever someone creates afflictive karma or engages in improper bodily, verbal, or mental actions, it indicates that this person’s ignorance remains unbroken, wisdom has not yet arisen, and the suffering of birth and death cannot be severed.

The mark of accomplishment in Buddhist practice lies in eradicating ignorance, cutting off afflictions, and increasing wisdom—not in how much theoretical knowledge one has acquired. Learning theoretical knowledge ultimately serves to eliminate ignorance and eradicate afflictions. Divorced from this purpose, studying the Dharma holds no meaning. To end the suffering of birth and death, one must abandon unwholesomeness and cultivate goodness; performing wholesome deeds leads to favorable rebirths and liberation, while unwholesome actions lead to unfavorable realms and the suffering of birth and death. If ignorance remains unbroken and afflictions persist, no amount of Buddhist knowledge will aid in liberation from the suffering of birth and death. Therefore, amassing theoretical knowledge is not the direction of practice; destroying ignorance, severing afflictions, and increasing wisdom constitute the true path.

Dedication: May the merit from all Dharma propagation and group practice on our online platform be dedicated to all sentient beings throughout the Dharma realm and to people across the world. May world peace prevail and wars cease; may conflict be extinguished and weapons forever laid down; may all disasters completely subside! May the people of all nations unite in mutual aid and extend kindness to one another; may the weather be favorable and the nation prosperous and at peace! May all sentient beings deeply believe in cause and effect, cherish compassionate hearts free from killing, widely cultivate wholesome connections, and extensively perform wholesome deeds; may they have faith in the Buddha, learn the Buddha’s teachings, and increase their roots of goodness; may they recognize suffering, abandon its causes, aspire to cessation, and cultivate the path; may they close the door to unfavorable rebirths and open the path to Nirvana! May Buddhism flourish eternally and the true Dharma endure forever; may the burning house of the three realms be transformed into the Lotus Land of Ultimate Bliss!