What is this 'I' to which reference is made when a person claims,
	"I have lost my child?"  The truth of the origin of suffering is
	that *it is the craving of a self that gives rise to suffering.*
	BLINDLY, A PERSON CRAVES A SELF THAT THOUGH SEPARATE IS ATTACHED
	TO THE FACTORS CONSTITUTING THE PERSON.  This craving leads to
	the invention and projection of a self.  This self, being attached
	to the factors making up a person, suffers when the identifica-
	tion is threatened by changes in the factors to which it is
	attached, whether these be the factors of that person, other
	persons, or other objects and activities in the world.

	_Oriental Philosophies_, by John M. Koller, Scribner's Son's
		1970; p. 112.  MY EMPH.
	_____________________________________________________________


	...if a considerable over-simplification is allowed, it might be
	said that basically IT IS THIS IGNORANCE of process and the
	consequent cutting of this process into segments, which are 
	regarded as independent of each other, THAT UNDERLIES THE
	GRASPING AND CLINGING THAT INEVITABLY LEADS TO SUFFERING.  It
	means that the individual is constantly out of tune with reality.

	Ibid, p. 128.  MY EMPH.
	_____________


	...WITHOUT IGNORANCE THERE WOULD BE NO ATTACHMENT to the
	impulses to action, no attachment to the processes of
	consciousness, no attachment to the mind and body, to the
	sense organs, to the sense impressions, to the feelings,
	to the cravings, to the grasping and clinging, to the
	becoming forces; and there would then be no ego to be
	born and no self to grow old and die.

	It is important to notice that THE VARIOUS PROCESSES WOULD 
	GO ON WITHOUT INTERRUPTION; THE REMOVAL OF IGNORANCE WOULD 
	NOT ALTER THAT.  But the processes cause suffering only
	because of a wrong attitude toward them; an attitude that
	mistakes them for something other than what they are by
	cutting up reality and attaching this cut-up reality to
	A SELF WHICH IN IGNORANCE IS THOUGHT TO EXIST.  It is
	*attachment* to the groups and not the groups themselves 
	that brings about suffering.

	...the Buddhist teaching that to get rid of suffering the
	self must be rooted out... has to do with THE DESTRUCTION 
	OF THE PRODUCT OF IGNORANCE.  The groups of processes
	constituting existence are not to be destroyed.  Only the
	falsely imagined self is to be destroyed.  The reason
	why this false self is to be destroyed is that it is what
	makes possible the attachment to the groups which underlies
	all forms of suffering.  WITHOUT THIS false ego-self, which
	is only a CREATION OF IGNORANCE, there would be no looking
	to the past, bemoaning what has been lost, and no looking
	forward to the future lamenting over what has not yet come
	about.  Without this ego-self life could be lived in the
	full richness of the present moment, without distinction,
	division or attachment.  Consequently, once this ignorance 
	is removed LIFE WILL BE FOUND COMPLETE AND PERFECT JUST AS
	IT IS.

	Ibid, pp. 133-6.
	________________

note that, like the Western Satan, 'ignorance' is portrayed as the
MEGA-ERROR of the Buddhist 'Middle Road'.  what we do "in ignorance"
is somehow responsible for all our troubles.  in the Avidyana School
we don't necessarily believe this to be true.  if ignorance is so
powerful that we are cursed under its veil to endless suffering, 
then what creates this ignorance?  Mara the Temptor?  are we born
into it?  is it somehow an indicator of who and what we are?  is it
valuable that we continue living in it?


	The main concrete application of the abstract principle
	[of conditioned arising] is in the form of a series of
	conditioned and conditioning links (*nidana*'s),
	culminating in the arising of *dukkha* [suffering].  A
	standard formula of twelve *nidanas* is most common....
	The standard formula begins 'CONDITIONED BY SPIRITUAL
	IGNORANCE ARE THE CONSTRUCTING ACTIVITIES; conditioned 
	by the constructing activities is consciousness',
	and then continues through a series of other conditions.
	The series thus runs: (1) SPIRITUAL IGNORANCE -> (2)
	constructing activities -> (3) (discriminative) consciousness
	-> (4) mind-and-body -> (5) the six sense-bases -> (6)
	sensory stimulation -> (7) feeling -> (8) craving -> (9)
	grasping -> (10) existence -> (11) birth -> (12) ageing,
	death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair.  'Thus
	is the origin of this whole mass of *dukkha*'.  After the
	formula is given in forward order, it follows in 'reverse'
	order.  In this form it describes how THE CESSATION OF
	*DUKKA* COMES ABOUT DUE TO THE COMPLETE CESSATION OF 
	SPIRITUAL IGNORANCE and the consequent cessation of each
	following *nidana*....

	THE *NIDANA* OF SPIRITUAL IGNORANCE (*AVIJJA*) IS DEFINED
	AS UNKNOWING WITH REGARD TO THE FOUR HOLY TRUTHS....  As
	the principle of Conditioned Arising underlies these
	Truths, the first link can be seen, ironically, to be
	ignorance of this very principle.  CONDITIONED ARISING,
	THEN, CAN ONLY OPERATE IN IGNORANCE OF ITSELF.  ONCE A
	PERSON FULLY UNDERSTANDS IT, IT CAN BE STOPPED.  THE
	'IGNORANCE' REFERRED TO IS NOT LACK OF INFORMATION, BUT
 	BUT A MORE DEEP-SEATED MISPERCEPTION OF REALITY, WHICH CAN 
	ONLY BE DESTROYED BY DIRECT MEDITATIVE INSIGHT.  IT IS
	given as the first link due to its fundamental influence
	on the process of life, but is ITSELF CONDITIONED BY
	SENSUAL DESIRE, ILL-WILL, LAZINESS, AGITATION AND FEAR
	OF COMMITMENT: five hindrances which are in turn 
	conditioned by unskilful conduct....

	BUDDHISM, THEN, SEES THE BASIC ROOT OF SUFFERING AS
	SPIRITUAL IGNORANCE.  rather than sin, which is a wilful
	turning away from a creator God.  Indeed, it can be
	regarded as having a doctrine of something like 'original
	sinlessness'....  In the calm of deep meditation, the
	depth-purity of mind is experienced at a conscious level,
	as the process of meditation suspends the defiling five
	hindrances, just as a smelter purifies gold-ore so as to
	attain pure gold....  More than a temporary undefiled
	state of mind is necessary for enlightenment, however.
	For this, there must be destruction of the four 'cankers'
	(*asavas*): the most deeply-rooted spiritual faults,
	which are likened to festering sores, leeching off energy
	from the mind, or intoxicating influxes on the mind.
	These are the cankers of sense-desire, (desire for)
	existence, views, and spiritual ignorance....    

	_An Introduction to Buddhism_, by Peter Harvey, Cambridge
		University Press, 1991; pp. 54-7.  MY EMPH.
	_________________________________________________________

we are told that *deeply understanding and realizing* the substance 
of the Four Holy Truths (1-dukkha; 2-tanha; 3-nirvana; 4-marga) will
dispel our (spiritual) ignorance; that 'profound meditative states'
will enable us to 'root out' our spiritual faults (ones we are born
with, apparently); and that once destroyed, we experience utter bliss.

the Avidyana Tradition does not dispute this, yet suggests that the 
notions of the other buddhist vehicles (Mahayana, etc.) are equally
the products of ignorance, the use of language itself being based upon
a very important ignorance-scheme that facilitates social connection
at the expense of awakening-mind.  

while applauding sitting (meditation) as a valuable effort for some to 
engage, Avidyanists are therefore not so quick to turn to it as The
Remedy which the Buddha pointed to via the 8-fold Path.  instead we 
place a heavy emphasis on deriving OUR OWN INTERPRETATIONS of the 
Buddha's instructions, discovering for ourselves why ignorance is 
portrayed by popular Buddhism as the Great Evil while using it to 
facilitate our awakening just like the regular Buddhists do.


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