A single question-and-answer exchange, addressing ignorance alone
Length
Short — five points named together in one compact list
Northern parallel
This same five-point formula was used to define stream-entry and arahantship at SN 22.109-110 earlier in this book
Difficulty
Moderate — combining two criteria already seen separately into one comprehensive list
Why this discourse
Combines this vagga's two prior criteria into one: origin and disappearance from the originate/vanish material, joined with the gratification/drawback/escape triad, into a single five-point formula — the same comprehensive criterion already used at SN 22.108-110 to define the goal of ascetic life and the fruits of stream-entry and arahantship.
Reading guide
Five points, not three or two
"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" — origin and disappearance (samudaya, atthaṅgama) joined directly to the familiar triad, forming the fullest single criterion this vagga uses.
A formula recognized from elsewhere in this book
This is the identical five-point formula already used at SN 22.108 to define what ascetics and brahmins must understand to realize "the goal of life," and again at SN 22.109-110 to define the stream-enterer and the arahant — here applied, for the first time, to defining ignorance and knowledge themselves rather than a fruit of practice.
Recognizing this formula's earlier appearances clarifies what this discourse is doing: rather than introducing something new, it names the precondition for everything SN 22.108-110 described as an achievement — ignorance is exactly the absence of the same five-point understanding those discourses treated as the gateway to awakening.
Why this formula, and not a longer or shorter one
The five points cover both the temporal dimension (origin, disappearance — how an aggregate comes to be and ceases) and the evaluative dimension (gratification, drawback, escape — what draws one to it, what is dangerous in it, and how to be free of it) — together offering a more complete picture than either dimension alone.
Setting up its own companion
This discourse addresses ignorance alone; SN 22.132, its direct companion, will apply the identical five-point formula to define knowledge, following the same pairing pattern used throughout this vagga.
Key terms
samudaya — origin — the first of the five points, shared with the originate/vanish criterion from SN 22.126-128
atthaṅgama — disappearance — the second point, the counterpart to samudaya
assāda/ādīnava/nissaraṇa — gratification / drawback / escape — the familiar triad, joined here to origin and disappearance
sāmaññattha — the goal of ascetic life — what this same five-point formula was used to define at SN 22.108, earlier in this book
avijjā — ignorance — defined here as the absence of this comprehensive five-point understanding
The text
The complete discourse, combining origin and disappearance with the familiar triad into a single five-point definition of ignorance. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1At Varanasi. “Reverend Sāriputta, they speak of this thing called ‘ignorance’. What is ignorance? And how is an ignoramus defined?”
§2“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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Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
How many points does this discourse's criterion combine?
Correct: A. Origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape.
Question 2 of 10
What two prior criteria in this vagga does this five-point formula combine?
Correct: A. Combining elements already introduced separately earlier in Avijjāvagga.
Question 3 of 10
Where else in this book has this exact five-point formula appeared?
Correct: A. The identical formula used to define fruits of practice, now applied to define ignorance itself.
Question 4 of 10
What does recognizing this formula's earlier appearances clarify?
Correct: A. Naming the precondition for everything SN 22.108-110 described as an achievement.
Question 5 of 10
What two dimensions does the five-point formula cover together?
Correct: A. Together offering a more complete picture than either dimension alone.
Question 6 of 10
What discourse is this discourse's direct companion, addressing knowledge with the same five-point formula?
Correct: A. Following the same pairing pattern used throughout this vagga.
Question 7 of 10
Who are the two speakers in this discourse?
Correct: A. Continuing the same dialogue pair from the surrounding discourses.
Question 8 of 10
How many aggregates does this five-point formula apply to?
Correct: A. Form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.
Question 9 of 10
Where is this discourse set?
Correct: A. Continuing the setting of the surrounding discourses in this vagga.
Question 10 of 10
Why might this be called the fullest criterion in this vagga?
Correct: A. Five distinct points, more than any other single criterion in this vagga.
