Commentary on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (126)

Arrogance Stems from Ignorance

The less ignorance a person has, the more aware they are of their own ignorance, and thus the more humble they are; the more ignorance a person has, the less aware they are of their own ignorance, and thus the more immodest and arrogant they become. Why do sentient beings have arrogance? Because of ignorance, because of folly. In the sequence of eliminating afflictions, greed and ill will are both easier to eliminate than folly and ignorance. Greed is the easiest to eliminate, followed by ill will. After eliminating the view of self (ātma-dṛṣṭi) and attaining the first dhyāna, one first eliminates greed, and only after a period of sustained cultivation does one eliminate ill will; after that comes the elimination of fundamental ignorance. When one cultivates to the stage of a first-bhūmi bodhisattva of the Mahāyāna, one begins to eliminate the habitual tendencies of the afflictions of greed, ill will, and arrogance, as well as the dust-like ignorance (ignorance as numerous as dust). When the dust-like ignorance is completely eliminated, one becomes a Buddha. At each stage of cultivation, the degree and types of ignorance differ. Bodhisattvas before seeing their true mind, bodhisattvas after seeing their true mind, and bodhisattvas who have entered the bhūmis—each stage of attainment corresponds to various different kinds of folly and ignorance. Even bodhisattvas at the ninth and tenth bhūmis still have a slight remnant of the delusion of ignorance. Only upon becoming a Buddha, when one attains the wisdom of all aspects (sarvākārajñatā), can all the delusions of ignorance in one's mind be completely eliminated.