11. Understanding Delusion

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

“Mohaṁ, bhikkhave, anabhijānaṁ aparijānaṁ tattha cittaṁ avirājayaṁ appajahaṁ abhabbo dukkhakkhayāya.

Mohañca kho, bhikkhave, abhijānaṁ parijānaṁ tattha cittaṁ virājayaṁ pajahaṁ bhabbo dukkhakkhayāyā”ti.

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca.

Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“Yena mohena mūḷhāse,

sattā gacchanti duggatiṁ;

Taṁ mohaṁ sammadaññāya,

pajahanti vipassino;

Pahāya na punāyanti,

imaṁ lokaṁ kudācanan”ti.

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, one who has not directly known and fully understood delusion, who has not detached his mind from it and abandoned it, is incapable of destroying suffering. But one who has directly known and fully understood delusion, and who has detached his mind from it and abandoned it, is capable of destroying suffering.”

Humankind is possessed by delusion,
Bound by delusion and delighted with being;
Not fully understanding delusion,
They come again to renewal of being.

But those who have abandoned delusion,
And who by destroying delusion are freed,
Have conquered the bondage of delusion
And overcome all suffering.