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← Saṃyutta Nikāya

Origin

SN 22.131 · Samudayasutta

A willow branch touching the surface of still water.

At Varanasi.

“Reverend Sāriputta, they speak of this thing called ‘ignorance’. What is ignorance? And how is an ignoramus defined?”

“Reverend, an unlearned ordinary person doesn’t truly understand the origin, the disappearance, the gratification, the drawback, and the escape when it comes to form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.

This is called ignorance. And this is how an ignoramus is defined.”

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About this edition

Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.