What Is Avidya?

Ignorance is an illusory dharma, not a real and substantial dharma; it has no inherent substance, like duckweed floating on water. Ignorance is a state of the mind characterized by lack of clarity, lack of understanding, and unknowing. This state is constantly changing and can also cease to exist. Once ignorance ceases, the mind becomes clear, lucid, and endowed with wisdom. In contrast, real dharmas are truly existent, unchanging, and cannot be eradicated. For example, suchness (tathatā), self-nature (svabhāva), and the Tathāgatagarbha are dharmas that are primordial, existing prior to heaven and earth. They are truly existent dharmas, not dharmas born subsequently; therefore, they cannot be extinguished. Wisdom and ignorance are mutually opposing dharmas. Where there is ignorance, there is no wisdom; where there is wisdom, there is no ignorance. The essence of the Tathāgatagarbha is the substance of great wisdom; it is never deluded about any dharma, and therefore, it is utterly devoid of even a trace of ignorance. The seven consciousnesses, lacking great wisdom, possess the obscuration of ignorance. Because they possess the obscuration of ignorance, they lack great wisdom. After the ignorance of the seven consciousnesses is completely extinguished, the Four Wisdoms become fully manifest.