40. Knowledge

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

“Avijjā, bhikkhave, pubbaṅgamā akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ samāpattiyā anvadeva ahirikaṁ anottappaṁ;

vijjā ca kho, bhikkhave, pubbaṅgamā kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ samāpattiyā anvadeva hirottappan”ti.

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca.

Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“Yā kācimā duggatiyo,

asmiṁ loke paramhi ca;

Avijjāmūlikā sabbā,

icchālobhasamussayā.

Yato ca hoti pāpiccho,

ahirīko anādaro;

Tato pāpaṁ pasavati,

apāyaṁ tena gacchati.

Tasmā chandañca lobhañca,

avijjañca virājayaṁ;

Vijjaṁ uppādayaṁ bhikkhu,

sabbā duggatiyo jahe”ti.

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

Tatiyaṁ.

Paṭhamabhāṇavāro.

This was said by the Lord…

“Ignorance, bhikkhus, precedes and leads to unwholesome states, and shamelessness and lack of fear of wrongdoing follow after. Knowledge, bhikkhus, precedes and leads to wholesome states, and shame and fear of wrongdoing follow after.”

Whatever bad bourns there are
In this world and hereafter,
All are rooted in ignorance,
Constructed by desire and greed.

Since one of evil desires
Is shameless and disrespectful,
From that evil flows forth
And he goes to a state of misery.

Thus by discarding desire and greed,
Along with ignorance as well,
A bhikkhu arouses knowledge
And abandons all bad bourns.