Questions and Answers on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Practice

Question: What is the difference between knowing with clarity and knowing with ignorance?

Answer: Ignorance (avidyā) is the obscurity and lack of understanding within the mind. It is not knowing the suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self of the five aggregates of clinging; not knowing the arising, ceasing, and changing of the five-aggregate world; not knowing the essential nature and characteristics of all dharmas; not knowing that all dharmas are illusory manifestations of the Tathāgatagarbha; and not knowing the principle of cause and effect (karma). In short, ignorance is the failure to know and understand the true Dharma principle, clinging to all illusory dharmas as "self" and "mine." The knowing that carries this ignorance is called ignorant knowing.

If, through contemplative practice, one directly realizes the suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self of the five aggregates of clinging, directly realizes the true principle of all dharmas, eradicates ignorance, and no longer clings to all dharmas in delusion and inversion, then this knowing of the five aggregates and of all dharmas becomes knowing with clarity, called clear knowing. Of course, clarity also has gradations; it has levels and degrees. There is initial clarity and ultimate clarity. Clarity develops gradually; it becomes increasingly clear, leading to increasing wisdom and increasing liberation.

Clarity is also divided into clarity of the mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna) and clarity of the mind base (manas). Clarity of the mental consciousness is relatively easier; when the Buddha Dharma is thoroughly understood, the mental consciousness becomes clear. However, clarity of the mind base can only arise after direct realization. Clarity of the mind base does not arise merely through understanding and simple thinking; it requires continuous investigation and contemplation within meditation (dhyāna) to achieve sudden awakening and sudden clarity. Clarity of the mental consciousness is gradual clarity; gradual cultivation leads to gradual clarity. Gradual clarity is the result of understanding, not true wisdom.

Thorough penetration of the principle by the mental consciousness is also quite difficult. Therefore, attaining fruition (phala) through the mental consciousness is similarly challenging. It is not as many believe—that merely thinking, pondering, and understanding a little means the mental consciousness has attained fruition. That is still far from the mental consciousness attaining fruition, and even farther from the mind base attaining fruition. How could attaining fruition be so easy? Ignorance is so deep, obscurations are so great, afflictions are so heavy, and wisdom is so shallow. It would be quite an achievement just to become a decent ordinary person. If one does not change oneself, eliminate some afflictions and ignorance, and undergo a fundamental transformation, it's best not to speak of attaining fruition—it remains exceedingly distant.