Ignorance

More than faith, or doctrine, or anything, the notion of ignorance in Buddhism is of central importance. It is the root of all evil, so to speak. However, ignorance in Buddhism doesn’t mean stupidity. Very smart people can be ignorant. Ignorance has nothing to do with intelligence, it has everything to do with perception.

Each being born into this world is born under specific conditions and circumstances. Those circumstances color our world, from who our parents are, our culture, the language we speak by default, religious beliefs, and so on. Further, these circumstances influence how we react to new things, which develop into further lines of thoughts, choices, and so on. Rinse and repeat.

As the screenshot from Fire Emblem: Three Houses above shows: small misunderstandings take hold and are hard to undo.

There is a classic story in India, common to various religious traditions including Buddhism. In the story, a monk is wandering out late night through a grassy field to use the restroom, and steps on a snake. He panics, faints and then falls over unconscious. The next morning he wakes up, and realizes that he stepped on an old piece of rope, not a snake. He was certain at night, based on limited information, that he had stepped on a snake, but his perception was flawed and he drew an incorrect decision.¹

Even if consider ourselves wise, and “know better” than others, we have to stay vigilant at all times. Little mistakes in understanding can lead to painful consequences.

I recently got mad at someone during an online game when I thought they were showing off. I was sure they were flaunting their victory in my face, and was pretty cranky all day until I reviewed the game and realized that I had misunderstood their last play. Once I realized that, I knew right away I was in the wrong, but I couldn’t undo the grumbling, anger, and ruined day. That quick half-second misunderstanding cost me a day. Fights with spouses or partners often start like this. Wars between two countries or two ethnic groups start like this.

Ignorance also comes in the form of overconfidence in one’s understanding of the world. A sense of self-satisfaction.

The first step in avoiding a trap, is knowing of its existence.

–Dune (1984)

There is no quick and easy solution in Buddhism for this. Knowing what ignorance is, and how insidious it is, and how easily we as functional adults can otherwise get duped by it is a step. Vigilance into one’s own thoughts, words, and actions is essential.

Namu Amida Butsu

¹ Similarly, the Buddha described grasping Buddhist doctrines properly as similar to grasping a viper. If done improperly, it can cause much harm.