Daily Dhamma Drops from Ceylon!

by **Bhikkhu_Samahita** on Sat Mar 13, 2010

Friends:

Anger, Irritation, and Stubborn Contrariety!

Evil and ill-will is the mental hindrance, which is resisting against and
opposing phenomena. It can be quite violent when manifesting as quarrels,
conflict, hate, hostility and war. Aversion instantly destroys all harmony
and peace and thus any potential for happiness. It can only be cured by
meditation on the four infinitely divine states (Brahma-viharas).

First priority: Noticing evil Ill-Will arise -in itself- makes it fade away:
The Buddha said: When ill-will is present in him then he understands:
"There is ill-will in me now" and when ill-will is absent, he also notices:
"There is no ill-will in me now". He understands how unarisen ill-will arises.
He understands how to leave behind any arisen ill-will, and he understands
how left ill-will will not ever arise again in the future. MN 10

What is the feeding cause that makes ill-will arise?
There are displeasing and repulsive features and aspects of any object,
frequently giving irrational & unwise attention to them, this is the feeding
cause of the arising of unarisen ill-will, and the feeding cause of the very
increase and expansion of ill-will that already has arisen. SN 46:51

The 3 paranoid thoughts that induces resentment:
1: He or she has done, is doing or will in the future do me some wrong!
2: He or she has done, is doing or will do those I like some wrong!
3: He or she has done, is doing or will do those I dislike some good!

What is the starving cause that makes ill-will cease?
There is the release of mind through Universal Good-Will and Friendliness,
frequently giving rational and wise attention to this is the starving cause
of the non-arising of unarisen ill-will, and the starving cause of decrease
and shrinking of ill-will that already has arisen. SN 46:51

Which medicine cures ill-will, so that it does not re-arise ever again?
One should cultivate the meditation on Universal Friendliness (Metta)!
For the meditation on universal friendliness gradually evaporates ill-will.
One should cultivate the meditation on All-embracing Pity (Karuna)!
Meditation on embracing pity, makes cruel harming violence fade away.
One should cultivate the meditation on Sympathetic Mutual Joy (Mudita)!
Meditation on mutual joy eliminates discontent, green envy and jealousy.
One should cultivate the meditation on composed Equanimity (Upekkha)!
Meditation on imperturbable equanimity can make anger & aversion cease.
MN 62

Some advantageous reflections to return to:
Remember the Simile of the Saw... The Blessed Buddha once said:
Friends, even if bandits were to cut you up, savagely, limb by limb, with a
two-handled saw, you should not be angry with them but do my bidding:
Remain pervading them with a friendly mentality imbued only with an all
embracing good will, kind, rich, expansive, and immeasurable. Free from
hostility, free from ill will. Always remembering this Simile of the Saw
is indeed how you should train yourselves... MN 21

Being OWNER of ANGER is Pain: Know that everyone is the owner of the
consequences of all their actions (Kamma), whether good or bad...

The 11 advantages won by cultivating Universal Friendliness (Metta):
1: One sleeps happy!
2: One wakes happy!
3: One dreams no evil dreams!
4: One is liked and loved by all human beings!
5: One is liked and loved by all non-human beings too!
6: One is guarded and protected by the divine devas!
7: One cannot be harmed by fire, poison or weapons!
8: One swiftly attains the concentration of absorption!
9: Ones appearance becomes serene, calm and composed!
10: One dies without confusion, bewilderment or panic!
11: One reappears after death on the Brahma level if gone no higher!
AN V342

by **Bhikkhu_Samahita** on Sat Mar 13, 2010

Friends:

How is constant Awareness Established only by Breathing?

Sitting cross-legged, with straight back, elevated chin, in a silent place, the
yogi remains focusing all attention on the touch point of air in his nostrils:

Fully aware one inhales and fully aware one exhales...
When inhaling a long breath, one notices that...
When exhaling a long breath, one notices that...
When inhaling a short breath, one notices that...
When exhaling a short breath, one notices that...
Experiencing the whole body, one inhales...
Experiencing the whole body, one exhales...
Calming all bodily activity, one inhales...
Calming all bodily activity, one exhales...

One trains thus: Experiencing joyous rapture, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Experiencing joyous rapture, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Experiencing a happy pleasure, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Experiencing a happy pleasure, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Experiencing all mental activity, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Experiencing all mental activity, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Calming all mental activity, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Calming all mental activity, I will exhale...

One trains thus: Experiencing all mentality as mood, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Experiencing all mentality as mood, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Satisfying and gladdening the mind, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Satisfying and gladdening the mind, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Focusing the mind by concentration, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Focusing the mind by concentration, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Releasing the mind from hindrance, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Releasing the mind from hindrance, I will exhale...

One trains thus: Considering the impermanence of change, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Considering the impermanence of change, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Considering the detachment in disillusion, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Considering the detachment in disillusion, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Considering the stilling within cessation, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Considering the stilling within cessation, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Considering open and freed relinquishing, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Considering open and freed relinquishing, I will exhale...

This is how continuous Awareness is established just by breathing!!!
Breathing meditation can bring the yogi into 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Jhana...
It is a unique praxis used by all Buddhas at their very Enlightenment!!!

Details are found in this Meditation Manual:
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/pdf ... nasati.pdf

by **Bhikkhu_Samahita** on Mon Mar 15, 2010

Friends:

Not Examining causes Assumption to Arise:

The wanderer Vacchagotta approached the Blessed One and greeted him.
Concluding their compliments, he sat down aside and asked the Buddha:
Master Gotama, what is the cause, condition and reason, why these various
speculative views arise in the world: This Universe is eternal, or the universe
is not eternal. This universe is finite, or infinite. Vitality and the body are
the same, or biological life, metabolism is one thing, the body is another.
The Tathagata exists after death, or he does not exist after death.
The Tathagata both exists and does not exist after death. Or finally:
The Tathagata neither exists, nor does not exist after death?
The Blessed Buddha replied:
It is, Vaccha, because of neither knowing form, nor feeling, nor perception,
nor mental construction, nor consciousness, nor the cause of origin of form,
feeling, perception, mental construction, and consciousness, nor the cause
of ceasing of form, feeling, perception, construction, and consciousness,
nor the way to cease form, feeling, perception, construction, & consciousness
that these various speculative views, such as: "This Universe is eternal,
finite etc. " arise in the world! This ignorance, this not seeing, blindness,
this not understanding, this not fully knowing, this not breaking through,
this not comprehending, this not penetrating, this not discerning, this not
discriminating, this not differentiating, this not closely investigating, this
not directly experiencing and realizing, friend Vaccha, is the cause, and
is the reason, why those various speculative views arise in this world!

Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book III 257-263
The Vacchagotta section 33. Thread on Not Knowing: Aññana Sutta (1-55)
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sa ... index.html

Have a nice & noble day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Not Examining!

by **Bhikkhu_Samahita** on Mon Mar 15, 2010

Friends:

Morality is not a Prison, but the only Effective Protection!

What is Morality?
Morality is the root cause of all success and all what is good.
Morality is the intention behind avoidance of all wrongdoing.
Morality is the mental combination of non-envy, goodwill and right view.
Morality is the self-control enabled by awareness, tolerance & restraint.
Morality is the non-breaking of the rules one have accepted and respects.

What is the Meaning of Morality?
Morality means consistency between all mental, verbal & bodily actions.
Morality means upholding the foundation of all advantageous states.

What is the Function of Morality?
To STOP bad and evil behaviour and it’s painful future effects.
To ATTAIN blameless mental purity and the blissful joy of innocence.

What is the Manifestation of Morality?
The virtuous blameless innocence of mental, verbal and behavioural purity.

What is the Proximate Cause of Morality?
The scrupulous shame within conscience is the cause of any moral ethics.
The fear of the results of wrongdoing is the Cause of any moral ethics.
Shame and fear of wrongdoing are therefore 2 protectors of the world!

Ultra-Cut:
Doing Good creates Pleasure!
Doing Bad creates Pain!

More on this basic first cause of all Good: Morality (Sila)!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Sila_1_to_5.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Happy_Habbit.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/What_is_Virtue.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Be ... ection.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/T ... Basics.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Best_ ... Praxis.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Si ... lation.htm

Source: The Path of Purification: Visuddhimagga.
Written by 'the great explainer' Ven. Buddhaghosa in 5th century AC.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=771100

The Best Protection!

by **Bhikkhu_Samahita** on Wed Mar 17, 2010

Friends:

Simple Satisfaction, Mental Liberation, and the Ultimate Release!

The Blessed Buddha once said:
There is the satisfaction of the flesh.
There is a mental liberation not of this world.
There is an ultimate release far beyond even subtle unworldly liberation!
And what, Bhikkhus, is carnal satisfaction?
Satisfaction with whatever form, or sensation is carnal satisfaction.
And what is the mental liberation, which is not of this world?
Liberation from any formless state is liberation, which is not of this world.
Finally, friends, what is the ultimate release beyond unworldly liberation?
When a Bhikkhu, whose mental fermentations are eliminated, reviews his
stilled mind released from all lust, freed from any hatred, and entirely
cleared from all confusion, then there occurs a transcendental deliverance.
This is called the release beyond that release, which is not of this world...

More on Mental Release (Vimokkha, Vimutti):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Freed_by_Knowing.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Th ... rances.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPP ... imutti.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Se ... leases.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPP ... mokkha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Fu ... Wisdom.htm

Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book IV [235-7]
Section 36:11 On Feeling: Vedana. Joys beyond this world ...
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sa ... index.html

Have a nice & noble day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Beyond Release!

by **Bhikkhu_Samahita** on Wed Mar 17, 2010

Friends:

Luminous is the Mind released by Friendliness!

The Blessed Buddha once explained:
Whatever meritorious action one performs, all these together are not worth
1/16th part of a mind released into friendliness, since the mind released into
friendliness blazes forth, & outshines all with an unsurpassable brilliance...
Just as the radiance from all the stars and planets does not match even a
1/16th part of the radiance from the moon, which thus outshines all the stars
and planets, similarly; whatever intention making one do meritorious actions,
all these together are not worth one-sixteenth fraction, of the mind released
by infinite friendliness!!! Since a mind released into friendliness - all alone -
friends!! blazes forth, outshine all these with an incomparable radiance...
Just as the mighty sun rising at autumn dawn, by making any fog evaporate,
scattering any dark thundercloud, makes the sky all blue & clear, so it alone
freely shines, blazes in a blue brilliance, - exactly so - whatever thoughts
there may be for gaining merit, all together these are not worth one 16th
fraction, of a mind released into friendliness!!! Since the mind released into
friendliness - all alone - outshines all these with inestimable luminosity!
So did the Lord Buddha state this matter, and he further added:
For the Noble friend, who by will, who fully aware and deliberately bring
infinite, boundless and endless friendliness into being, this mountain like
limitless goodwill makes all evil substrate evaporate, & the chains of mind,
these mental fetters become thin, slender and slack. If a friend without
ill will cares for even one single living being, such friend, through that,
becomes quite skilled and clever, so far more for the Noble Friend, who
by possessing a caring heart for all sentient beings, without even a single
exception, accumulates great, massive, and immense amounts of merit!!!
Those gurus and priests who sacrifices life, objects or fire, who baths
ceremoniously, devoted to mere forms and empty ritual, blindly attached
to and obsessed by culture, tradition of primeval & often unknown origin,
do never experience even a 16th of this release of mind by friendliness
fully brought into being, just like the vagueness of even all the stars cannot
either ever outshine the moon! Since there cannot exist any evil animosity
whatsoever, nor enmity at all, neither even an atomic trace of hate in a
Nobly Released One, who by caring indiscriminately and infinitely for all
living beings, who by possessing such treasure of a mind relinquished by
friendliness, simply cannot ever suppress, dominate, harm, or kill even the
smallest sentient breathing being! Luminous is a perfectly released mind!

More on the Mind:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/In_Control.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Non-Control.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Luminous_is_Mind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta ... I.8-10.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Ma ... t_Mind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Hi ... ibbana.htm

Source:
The Itivuttaka 27: Thus was it Said:
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=404214
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/kh ... index.html

Have a nice & noble day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Luminous Mind!

by **Bhikkhu_Samahita** on Fri Mar 19, 2010

Friends:

Detached from both Bodily and Mental Feeling!

The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus, the uninstructed ordinary person
feels pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant
feelings... Such does the instructed Noble Disciple also feel. What then is
the difference, the variation, and the distinction between the instructed
Noble Disciple and the uninstructed ordinary person? Bhikkhus, when the
uninstructed ordinary person is being touched by a painful feeling, then he
cries, grieves, moans, weeps, beats his breast and becomes bewildered!
He feels actually two feelings: A bodily pain and a mental sadness...!!!
Imagine they hit a man with a dart, and then they pricked him immediately
after with another dart, then that man would indeed feel two feelings
caused by both the two darts. Similarly is it in this case where this poor
uninstructed ordinary person touched by a painful feeling, actually feels
two feelings: A bodily pain and another mental frustration over that pain.
Whenever touched by pain, he responds with aversion towards that painful
feeling, then the latent tendency to aversion towards painful feeling grows
even deeper. When touched by painful feeling, he seeks for sense pleasure!
Why? Because the uninstructed ordinary person does not know any other
escape from painful feeling than seeking to relief by new sense pleasure.
When he seeks towards delight by sensual pleasure, the latent tendency
to lust for pleasant feeling grows even deeper. He does not at all really
understand as it really is neither the cause, nor the fading away, nor the
satisfaction, nor the danger, nor the escape regarding these feelings!#
Not understanding any of these things, then when touched by a neutral
neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling the latent tendency to ignorance also
grows deeper. When feeling a pleasant feeling, he feels it as if attached
to it, and as the owner ("my feeling") being involved in it. When feeling a
painful feeling, he also feels this as if attached to it and involved in it. If
he feels a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he feels it as if attached
to it and involved in it... This, bhikkhus, is called an uninstructed ordinary
person, who is attached & clings desperately to birth, aging, death, sorrow,
pain, discontent, and despair. I tell you: What he clings to is Suffering ...!
Bhikkhus, when the instructed Noble Disciple is being touched by a painful
feeling, he neither cries, nor grieves, nor moans, nor weeps, nor beats his
breast, nor does he become bewildered! He feels actually only one feeling:
Bodily pain, yet no mental sadness or frustration! Imagine they hit a man
with only one single dart, and not any other dart, then that man would feel
a single feeling caused by only one single dart. So too, when the instructed
Noble Disciple is contacted by a painful feeling, then he feels one feeling:
A bodily pain, but not any mental sadness or frustration. Touched by that
painful feeling, he neither develops nor reinforces any aversion towards it!
Because he develops no aversion towards this painful feeling, the latent
tendency to aversion towards painful feeling does not grow deeper!
When touched by painful feeling, he does not wish for sense pleasure.
For what reason? Because the instructed Noble Disciple knows another
escape from painful feeling other than sensual pleasure! Since he does not
seek delight in sensual pleasure, the latent tendency to lust for pleasant
feeling does not grow deeper in him. He indeed understands as it really is,
the cause, the fading away, the satisfaction, the danger, and the escape
in the case of feelings. Since he understands all these things, the latent
tendency to ignorance, when touched by a neither-painful-nor-pleasant
feeling, does not grow deeper in him. When feeling a pleasant feeling, he
feels it as if detached from it, as something remote, irrelevant and alien.
When feeling a painful feeling, he also feels this as if detached from it,
as if remote and alien. If he feels a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling,
he feels even that neutrality as if disconnected from it, remote and alien.
This, Bhikkhus, is called a Noble Disciple, who is released from birth, aging,
and death! Who is separated from sorrow, lamentation, pain, discontent,
and desperate despair... I tell you, such one is separated from Suffering.
This, is the difference, variation, and distinction, between the learned
Noble Disciple and an uninstructed ordinary person! The wise, clever and
learned one does not feel the adjoined pleasant & painful mental feeling!
This is the great difference between the wise and learned one and the
ordinary person. For the learned one, who has comprehended the Dhamma,
who clearly sees this world and the next, the desirable things do neither
incite, nor stir up, nor stimulate his mind...Towards whatever disgusting,
he has no aversion. All mental attraction and repulsion has ceased in him...
Both have been extinguished, brought to silence. Having known this stain
and sorrow-less state, such transcender of existence rightly understands:

Pleasant feeling induces greed...
Painful feeling produces hate...
Neither-painful-nor-pleasant neutral feeling
causes neglect and therefore generates ignorance...

Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book IV [208-10]
section 36: Feeling. Vedana. The Dart. Sallatena. 6.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sa ... index.html

Have a nice & noble day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Everything Converges on Feeling!

by **Bhikkhu_Samahita** on Sat Mar 20, 2010

Friends:

The Buddha on Kamma (Intentional Action):

I am the owner of my actions (kamma), inheritor of my actions, born of
my actions, created by my actions, and have my own actions as my judge!
Whatever I do, good or evil, I will feel the resulting effects of that ...
Source: AN V 57

Intention, Bhikkhus, is what I call action=kamma, for through intention one
initiates these actions through the door of the body, speech or mind.
There is kamma (intentional action), Bhikkhus, that ripens in hell....
There is kamma that ripens in the animal world..
There is kamma that ripens in the world of humans....
There is kamma that ripens in the divine world....
Threefold, however, is this ripening fruit of kamma:
ripening during here in this life, or
ripening in the next rebirth life,
or ripening in even later rebirths ...
Source: AN VI 63

The 10 advantageous courses of action (=Good Kamma):
The 3 bodily actions: Avoidance of killing, stealing, and abusive sexuality.
The 4 verbal actions: Avoidance of lying, slandering, angry & empty speech.
The 3 mental actions: Doing Withdrawal, Good-will, and Right Views.
Source: MN 9

Greed, Bhikkhus, is a condition for the arising of kamma.
Hate is a condition for the arising of kamma.
Confusion is a condition for the arising of kamma.
Source: AN III 109

One who kills & harms goes either to hell or will be short-lived elsewhere.
One who torments others will be afflicted with disease or disability.
The angry one will look ugly, the envious one will be without influence.
The stingy one will be poor, the stubborn will be placed low and stupid.
The lazy will be without knowledge, understanding and certainty.
In the contrary case, one will be reborn in heaven or reborn as man.
One will be long-lived, beautiful, influential, highborn and intelligent!
Source: MN 135

There are 10 meritorious actions leading to human or divine rebirth:
1: Giving.
2: Morality.
3: Meditation.
4: Reverence by paying respect to monks and elders.
5: Performing services to others.
6: Transference of merits to others.
7: Rejoicing in others' merit.
8: Learning this true Dhamma.
9: Teaching this true Dhamma.
10: Correcting one's wrong views.

To the extent that there are beings, past, and future, dying & re-arising,
all beings are the owners of their actions, inheritor to their actions, are
born of their actions, created by their action, conditioned by their actions,
related to their actions, and are dependent on the effect of past actions.
Whatever they do, for good or for evil, from that will they feel the result...
Source: AN V 57

by **Bhikkhu_Samahita** on Sat Mar 20, 2010

Friends:

Rational Causal Attention Breaks Mental Hindrances:

The Blessed Buddha once said:
When attending rationally sense-desire does neither arise, nor expand.
When attending rationally evil-will does neither arise, nor later expand.
When attending rationally lethargy & laziness does not emerge or grow.
When attending rationally restlessness & regret cannot arise or amplify.
When attending rationally doubt & uncertainty does not begin or blow up.
Furthermore, when attending carefully & rationally to cause and effect:
The awareness link to awakening arises, and is gradually completed.
The investigation link to awakening arises, and is gradually completed.
The energy link to awakening arises, and is gradually completed.
The joy link to awakening arises, and is gradually completed.
The tranquillity link to awakening arises, and is gradually completed.
The concentration link to awakening arises, and is gradually completed.
The equanimity link to awakening arises, and is gradually completed!

More on Attention: (Manasikara):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Ca ... ention.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPP ... ikaara.htm

Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V:93-4] section 46: The Links. 35: Careful Attention...

Have a nice & noble day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Causal Attention!

by **Bhikkhu_Samahita** on Sun Mar 21, 2010

Friends:

What are the Causes of Ignorance?

First: Ignorance is not seeing and not knowing the 4 Noble Truths fully!

The near and proximate cause is:
Ignorance comes into being caused by the 5 mental hindrances!
That is right here and now:
Ignorance grows up caused by desire and lust...
Ignorance arises caused by aversion and ill-will...
Ignorance emerges caused by lethargy and laziness...
Ignorance appears caused by restlessness and regret...
Ignorance comes into being caused by doubt and uncertainty...
All these 5 factors will obscure, obstruct and distort the 4 truths!

The remote and subtle cause is fermentation ~ assuming and supposing:
Conditioned by mental fermentation (asava) does ignorance emerge:
That is multi-factorially, on the long-term, as a hidden latent tendency:
Ignorance is caused by the mental fermentation linked with sense-desire.
Ignorance is caused by the mental fermentation associated with views.
Ignorance is caused by the mental fermentation coupled with becoming.
Ignorance is caused by the mental fermentation joined with ignorance itself!

The emotional component is:
Ignorance is caused by a feeling of neutral indifference, since this absence
of both pleasure and pain promotes neglect leading to no examination, which
then results in not knowing the specifics of the object = ignorance...

Ignorance thus grows in a fatal positively self-enhancing feedback-loop!

The Blessed Buddha said:
Bhikkhus, a beginning of ignorance cannot be pointed out in this way:
Before this point in time, there was no ignorance, afterward it came.
But, Bhikkhus, it can be pointed out in this way:
Caused by this, ignorance comes to be. Bhikkhus, I tell you, ignorance too
has a causing condition! What is the causing condition of ignorance?
The five mental hindrances is the reply...
Source: AN X 61, AN X 62

What is ignorance, what is the origin of ignorance, what is the ceasing of
ignorance, and what is the way leading to the ceasing of ignorance?
Not knowing about suffering, not knowing about the origin of suffering,
not knowing about the ceasing of suffering, not knowing about the way
leading to the ceasing of suffering, this is called ignorance!
With the arising of the mental fermentations, ignorance also arises.
With the ceasing of the mental fermentations, ignorance also ceases!
The way leading to the ceasing of ignorance is just this Noble 8-fold Way:
That is; Right view, right motivation, right speech, right action,
right livelihood, right effort and right concentration.
Source: MN 9