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Avidyā (Hinduism) - Wikipedia
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href="#In_the_Vedic_texts_and_Upanishads"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>In the Vedic texts and Upanishads</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-In_the_Vedic_texts_and_Upanishads-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-In_Yoga_Darsana" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#In_Yoga_Darsana"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>In Yoga Darsana</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-In_Yoga_Darsana-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-In_Advaita_Vedanta" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#In_Advaita_Vedanta"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>In Advaita Vedanta</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-In_Advaita_Vedanta-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" 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Available in 11 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-11" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">11 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bn mw-list-item"><a href="https://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE_(%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%81_%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%A8)" title="অবিদ্যা (হিন্দু দর্শন) – Bangla" lang="bn" hreflang="bn" data-title="অবিদ্যা (হিন্দু দর্শন)" data-language-autonym="বাংলা" data-language-local-name="Bangla" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>বাংলা</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bcl mw-list-item"><a href="https://bcl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Hinduismo)" title="Avidyā (Hinduismo) – Central Bikol" lang="bcl" hreflang="bcl" data-title="Avidyā (Hinduismo)" data-language-autonym="Bikol Central" data-language-local-name="Central Bikol" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bikol Central</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A2%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%A7_(%D9%87%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%A6%DB%8C%D8%B3%D9%85)" title="آویدیا (هندوئیسم) – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="آویدیا (هندوئیسم)" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hi mw-list-item"><a href="https://hi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE" title="अविद्या – Hindi" lang="hi" hreflang="hi" data-title="अविद्या" data-language-autonym="हिन्दी" data-language-local-name="Hindi" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>हिन्दी</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Hindu)" title="Avidyā (Hindu) – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Avidyā (Hindu)" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-kn mw-list-item"><a href="https://kn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B2%85%E0%B2%B5%E0%B2%BF%E0%B2%A6%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%AF%E0%B3%86" title="ಅವಿದ್ಯೆ – Kannada" lang="kn" hreflang="kn" data-title="ಅವಿದ್ಯೆ" data-language-autonym="ಕನ್ನಡ" data-language-local-name="Kannada" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ಕನ್ನಡ</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hu mw-list-item"><a href="https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidja" title="Avidja – Hungarian" lang="hu" hreflang="hu" data-title="Avidja" data-language-autonym="Magyar" data-language-local-name="Hungarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Magyar</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sa mw-list-item"><a href="https://sa.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Hinduism)" title="Avidyā (Hinduism) – Sanskrit" lang="sa" hreflang="sa" data-title="Avidyā (Hinduism)" data-language-autonym="संस्कृतम्" data-language-local-name="Sanskrit" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>संस्कृतम्</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-si mw-list-item"><a href="https://si.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B6%85%E0%B7%80%E0%B7%92%E0%B6%AF%E0%B7%8A%E2%80%8D%E0%B6%BA%E0%B7%8F%E0%B7%80_(%E0%B7%84%E0%B7%92%E0%B6%B1%E0%B7%8A%E0%B6%AF%E0%B7%94)" title="අවිද්යාව (හින්දු) – Sinhala" lang="si" hreflang="si" data-title="අවිද්යාව (හින්දු)" data-language-autonym="සිංහල" data-language-local-name="Sinhala" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>සිංහල</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sr mw-list-item"><a href="https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D1%98%D0%B0" title="Авидја – Serbian" lang="sr" hreflang="sr" data-title="Авидја" data-language-autonym="Српски / srpski" data-language-local-name="Serbian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Српски / srpski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sh mw-list-item"><a href="https://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidya" title="Avidya – Serbo-Croatian" lang="sh" hreflang="sh" data-title="Avidya" data-language-autonym="Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски" data-language-local-name="Serbo-Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q17005227#sitelinks-wikipedia" title="Edit interlanguage links" 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(Hinduism)</a>)</span></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Sanskrit word meaning ignorance</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For a similar concept in Buddhist thought, see <a href="/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)" title="Avidyā (Buddhism)">Avidyā (Buddhism)</a>.</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist 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rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"><table class="sidebar sidebar-collapse nomobile nowraplinks plainlist"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-pretitle" style="background:#FFC569;">Part of <a href="/wiki/Category:Hinduism" title="Category:Hinduism">a series</a> on</td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-title-with-pretitle" style="background:#FFC569;"><a href="/wiki/Hindu_philosophy" title="Hindu philosophy">Hindu philosophy</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-image" style="padding:0.3em 0.3em 0.4em;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/Om" title="Om"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Om_symbol.svg/80px-Om_symbol.svg.png" decoding="async" width="80" height="82" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Om_symbol.svg/120px-Om_symbol.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Om_symbol.svg/160px-Om_symbol.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="356" data-file-height="367" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background:#FFC569;"> <a href="/wiki/%C4%80stika_and_n%C4%81stika" title="Āstika and nāstika">Orthodox</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0.3em 0.5em 0.75em;"> <table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks" style="background-color: transparent; color: var( --color-base ); border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0px; border:none; width:100%; margin:0px; font-size:100%; clear:none; float:none"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist"> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Samkhya" title="Samkhya">Samkhya</a></b></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Yoga_(philosophy)" title="Yoga (philosophy)">Yoga</a></b></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Nyaya" title="Nyaya">Nyaya</a></b></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Vaisheshika" title="Vaisheshika">Vaisheshika</a></b></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/M%C4%ABm%C4%81%E1%B9%83s%C4%81" title="Mīmāṃsā">Mīmāṃsā</a></b></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Vedanta" title="Vedanta">Vedanta</a></b></li></ul></td> </tr></tbody></table></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background:#FFC569;"> <a href="/wiki/%C4%80stika_and_n%C4%81stika" title="Āstika and nāstika">Heterodox</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0.3em 0.5em 0.75em;"> <table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks" style="background-color: transparent; color: var( --color-base ); border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0px; border:none; width:100%; margin:0px; font-size:100%; clear:none; float:none"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist"> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Charvaka" title="Charvaka">Charvaka</a></b></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/%C4%80j%C4%ABvika" title="Ājīvika">Ājīvika</a></b></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Buddhism" title="Buddhism">Buddhism</a></b></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Jainism" title="Jainism">Jainism</a></b></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Aj%C3%B1ana" title="Ajñana">Ajñana</a></b></li></ul></td> </tr></tbody></table></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0.3em 0.5em 0.75em;;padding:1px 0;"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="background:#FFC569;;font-weight:normal;;color: var(--color-base)"><div class="sidebar-list-title-c"><b>Sub-schools</b></div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Smarta_tradition" title="Smarta tradition">Smartist</a></dt> <dd></dd></dl> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Advaita_Vedanta" title="Advaita Vedanta">Advaita</a></i></li></ul> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Vaishnavism" title="Vaishnavism">Vaishnavite</a></dt> <dd></dd></dl> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Bhedabheda" title="Bhedabheda">Bhedabheda</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Vishishtadvaita" title="Vishishtadvaita">Vishishtadvaita</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Dvaita_Vedanta" title="Dvaita Vedanta">Dvaita</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Shuddhadvaita" title="Shuddhadvaita">Shuddhadvaita</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Achintya_Bheda_Abheda" title="Achintya Bheda Abheda">Achintya Bheda Abheda</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Svabhavika_Bhedabheda" title="Svabhavika Bhedabheda">Svabhavika Bhedabheda</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Mahanubhava" title="Mahanubhava">Mahanubhava</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Ekasarana_Dharma" title="Ekasarana Dharma">Ekasarana Dharma</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Akshar_Purushottam_Darshan" title="Akshar Purushottam Darshan">Akshar Purushottam Darshan</a></i></li></ul> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Shaivism" title="Shaivism">Shaivite</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Shaiva_Siddhanta" title="Shaiva Siddhanta">Shaiva Siddhanta</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Pratyabhijna" title="Pratyabhijna">Pratyabhijna</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Pashupata_Shaivism" title="Pashupata Shaivism">Panchartika</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Kalamukha" title="Kalamukha">Pramanavada</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Veerashaiva" class="mw-redirect" title="Veerashaiva">Shakti Vishishtadvaita</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Nath" class="mw-redirect" title="Nath">Shiva Bhedabeda</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Shiva_Advaita" title="Shiva Advaita">Shiva Advaita</a></i></li></ul> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Neo-Vedanta" title="Neo-Vedanta">Neo-Vedanta</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Integral_yoga" title="Integral yoga">Integral yoga</a></i></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0.3em 0.5em 0.75em;;padding:1px 0;"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="background:#FFC569;;font-weight:normal;;color: var(--color-base)"><div class="sidebar-list-title-c"><b>Teachers</b> (<a href="/wiki/Acharya" title="Acharya">Acharyas</a>)</div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks" style="background-color: transparent; color: var( --color-base ); border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0px; border:none; width:100%; margin:0px; font-size:100%; clear:none; float:none"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-style:italic;padding-bottom:0;;padding-top:0.2em;"> <a href="/wiki/Nyaya" title="Nyaya">Nyaya</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0 0.5em 0.65em;"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ny%C4%81ya_S%C5%ABtras" title="Nyāya Sūtras">Akṣapāda Gotama</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jayanta_Bhatta" title="Jayanta Bhatta">Jayanta Bhatta</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Raghunatha_Siromani" title="Raghunatha Siromani">Raghunatha Siromani</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-style:italic;padding-bottom:0;"> <a href="/wiki/M%C4%ABm%C4%81%E1%B9%83s%C4%81" title="Mīmāṃsā">Mīmāṃsā</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0 0.5em 0.65em;"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Jaimini" title="Jaimini">Jaimini</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kum%C4%81rila_Bha%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADa" title="Kumārila Bhaṭṭa">Kumārila Bhaṭṭa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Prabh%C4%81kara" title="Prabhākara">Prabhākara</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-style:italic;padding-bottom:0;"> <a href="/wiki/Advaita_Vedanta" title="Advaita Vedanta">Advaita</a> (Mayavada)</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0 0.5em 0.65em;"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Gaudapada" title="Gaudapada">Gaudapada</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/V%C4%81chaspati_Misra" title="Vāchaspati Misra">Vāchaspati Misra</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Adi_Shankara" title="Adi Shankara">Adi Shankara</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-style:italic;padding-bottom:0;"> <a href="/wiki/Vishishtadvaita" title="Vishishtadvaita">Vishishtadvaita</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0 0.5em 0.65em;"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ramanuja" title="Ramanuja">Ramanuja</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vedanta_Desika" title="Vedanta Desika">Vedanta Desika</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-style:italic;padding-bottom:0;"> <a href="/wiki/Dvaita_Vedanta" title="Dvaita Vedanta">Dvaita</a> (Tattvavada)</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0 0.5em 0.65em;"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Madhvacharya" title="Madhvacharya">Madhvacharya</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jayatirtha" title="Jayatirtha">Jayatirtha</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vyasatirtha" title="Vyasatirtha">Vyasatirtha</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-style:italic;padding-bottom:0;"> <a href="/wiki/Shuddhadvaita" title="Shuddhadvaita">Shuddhadvaita</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0 0.5em 0.65em;"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Vallabha" title="Vallabha">Vallabha</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-style:italic;padding-bottom:0;"> <a href="/wiki/Achintya_Bheda_Abheda" title="Achintya Bheda Abheda">Achintya Bheda Abheda</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0 0.5em 0.65em;"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Chaitanya_Mahaprabhu" title="Chaitanya Mahaprabhu">Chaitanya Mahaprabhu</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-style:italic;padding-bottom:0;"> <a href="/wiki/Svabhavika_Bhedabheda" title="Svabhavika Bhedabheda">Svabhavika Bhedabheda</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0 0.5em 0.65em;"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Nimbarkacharya" title="Nimbarkacharya">Nimbarka</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Srinivasacharya" title="Srinivasacharya">Srinivasacharya</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-style:italic;padding-bottom:0;"> <a href="/wiki/Mahanubhava" title="Mahanubhava">Mahanubhava</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0 0.5em 0.65em;"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Chakradhar_Swami" title="Chakradhar Swami">Chakradhara</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-style:italic;padding-bottom:0;"> <a href="/wiki/Ekasarana_Dharma" title="Ekasarana Dharma">Ekasarana Dharma</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0 0.5em 0.65em;"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Sankardev" title="Sankardev">Sankardev</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-style:italic;padding-bottom:0;"> <a href="/wiki/Akshar_Purushottam_Darshan" title="Akshar Purushottam Darshan">Akshar Purushottam Darshan</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0 0.5em 0.65em;"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Swaminarayan" title="Swaminarayan">Swaminarayan</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-style:italic;padding-bottom:0;"> <div class="hlist"><ul><li><a href="/wiki/Tantra" title="Tantra">Tantra</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Shaktism" title="Shaktism">Shakta</a></li></ul></div></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0 0.5em 0.65em;"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Abhinavagupta" title="Abhinavagupta">Abhinavagupta</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nigamananda_Paramahansa" title="Nigamananda Paramahansa">Nigamananda Paramahansa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ramprasad_Sen" title="Ramprasad Sen">Ramprasad Sen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bamakhepa" title="Bamakhepa">Bamakhepa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kamalakanta_Bhattacharya_(Bengal)" title="Kamalakanta Bhattacharya (Bengal)">Kamalakanta Bhattacharya</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anandamayi_Ma" title="Anandamayi Ma">Anandamayi Ma</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-style:italic;padding-bottom:0;"> <a href="/wiki/Neo-Vedanta" title="Neo-Vedanta">Neo-Vedanta</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0 0.5em 0.65em;"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Swami_Vivekananda" title="Swami Vivekananda">Vivekananda</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sri_Aurobindo" title="Sri Aurobindo">Aurobindo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sarvepalli_Radhakrishnan" title="Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan">Radhakrishnan</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-style:italic;padding-bottom:0;;font-weight:normal;"> Others</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0 0.5em 0.65em;"> <table class="infobox" style="background-color: transparent; color: var( --color-base ); border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0px; border:none; width:100%; margin:0px; font-size:100%; clear:none; float:none"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="font-style:italic;padding-right:1.5em;"><a href="/wiki/Samkhya" title="Samkhya">Samkhya</a></th><td class="infobox-data"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Kapila" title="Kapila">Kapila</a></li></ul> </td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="font-style:italic;padding-right:1.5em;"><a href="/wiki/Yoga" title="Yoga">Yoga</a></th><td class="infobox-data"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Patanjali" title="Patanjali">Patanjali</a></li></ul> </td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="font-style:italic;padding-right:1.5em;"><a href="/wiki/Vaisheshika" title="Vaisheshika">Vaisheshika</a></th><td class="infobox-data"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ka%E1%B9%87%C4%81da" title="Kaṇāda">Kaṇāda</a>, <a href="/wiki/Prashastapada" title="Prashastapada">Prashastapada</a></li></ul> </td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="font-style:italic;padding-right:1.5em;"><a href="/wiki/Secular" class="mw-redirect" title="Secular">Secular</a></th><td class="infobox-data"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Valluvar" class="mw-redirect" title="Valluvar">Valluvar</a></li></ul> </td></tr></tbody></table></td> </tr></tbody></table></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding:0.3em 0.5em 0.75em;;padding:1px 0;"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="background:#FFC569;;font-weight:normal;;color: var(--color-base)"><div class="sidebar-list-title-c"><b><a href="/wiki/Hindu_texts" title="Hindu texts">Major texts</a></b></div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"><div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/%C5%9Aruti" title="Śruti">Śruti</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sm%E1%B9%9Bti" title="Smṛti">Smṛti</a></li></ul> <hr /> <dl><dd><b><a href="/wiki/Vedas" title="Vedas">Vedas</a></b></dd></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Rigveda" title="Rigveda">Rigveda</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yajurveda" title="Yajurveda">Yajurveda</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Samaveda" title="Samaveda">Samaveda</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Atharvaveda" title="Atharvaveda">Atharvaveda</a></li></ul> <dl><dd><b><a href="/wiki/Upanishads" title="Upanishads">Upanishads</a></b></dd></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Principal_Upanishads" title="Principal Upanishads">Principal Upanishads</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Upanishads#Classification" title="Upanishads">Minor Upanishads</a></li></ul> <dl><dd><i>Other scriptures</i></dd></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita" title="Bhagavad Gita">Bhagavad Gita</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Agama_(Hinduism)" title="Agama (Hinduism)">Agama (Hinduism)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vachanamrut" title="Vachanamrut">Vachanamrut</a></li></ul> <hr /> <dl><dd><i><b><a href="/wiki/Shastra" title="Shastra">Shastras</a> and <a href="/wiki/Sutra" title="Sutra">Sutras</a></b></i></dd></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Brahma_Sutras" title="Brahma Sutras">Brahma Sutras</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Samkhyakarika" title="Samkhyakarika">Samkhya Sutras</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Purva_Mimamsa_Sutras" title="Purva Mimamsa Sutras">Mimamsa Sutras</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ny%C4%81ya_S%C5%ABtras" title="Nyāya Sūtras">Nyāya Sūtras</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vai%C5%9Be%E1%B9%A3ika_S%C5%ABtra" title="Vaiśeṣika Sūtra">Vaiśeṣika Sūtra</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yoga_Sutras_of_Patanjali" title="Yoga Sutras of Patanjali">Yoga Sutras</a></li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Pramana" title="Pramana">Pramana Sutras</a></li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Puranas" title="Puranas">Puranas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dharma%C5%9B%C4%81stra" title="Dharmaśāstra">Dharmaśāstra</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Arthashastra" title="Arthashastra">Arthashastra</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kama_Sutra" title="Kama Sutra">Kama Sutra</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Naalayira_Divya_Prabandham" title="Naalayira Divya Prabandham">Naalayira Divya Prabandham</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tirumurai" title="Tirumurai">Tirumurai</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shiva_Samhita" title="Shiva Samhita">Shiva Samhita</a></li></ul> <hr /> <dl><dd><b><a href="/wiki/Secular_ethics" title="Secular ethics">Secular ethics</a></b></dd></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Kural" title="Kural">Kural</a></li></ul> </div></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-below"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hinduism" title="Hinduism">Hinduism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Indian_philosophy" title="Indian philosophy">Other Indian philosophies</a></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Hindu_philosophy" title="Template:Hindu philosophy"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Hindu_philosophy" title="Template talk:Hindu philosophy"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Hindu_philosophy" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Hindu philosophy"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p><b>Avidyā</b> is a <a href="/wiki/Sanskrit" title="Sanskrit">Sanskrit</a> word whose literal meaning is <a href="/wiki/Ignorance" title="Ignorance">ignorance</a>, misconceptions, misunderstandings, incorrect knowledge, and it is the opposite of <i><a href="/wiki/Vidya_(Knowledge)" class="mw-redirect" title="Vidya (Knowledge)">Vidya</a></i>.<sup id="cite_ref-mmwp918_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-mmwp918-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It is used extensively in <a href="/wiki/Hindu" class="mw-redirect" title="Hindu">Hindu</a> texts, including the <a href="/wiki/Upanishads" title="Upanishads">Upanishads</a>, and in other Indian religions such as <a href="/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)" title="Avidyā (Buddhism)">Buddhism</a> and <a href="/wiki/Jainism" title="Jainism">Jainism</a>, particularly in the context of metaphysical reality.<sup id="cite_ref-alexwayman21_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-alexwayman21-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-ryanjones57_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ryanjones57-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-GombrichScherrer2008p209_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-GombrichScherrer2008p209-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Avidyā, in all <a href="/wiki/Dharma" title="Dharma">Dharmic systems</a>, represents fundamental ignorance and misperception of the phenomenal world.<sup id="cite_ref-ryanjones57_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ryanjones57-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, the Indian religions disagree on the details, for example with Hinduism considering a denial and misconceptions of <a href="/wiki/%C4%80tman_(Hinduism)" title="Ātman (Hinduism)">Atman</a> (soul, self) as a form of Avidya, and Buddhism considering the denial and misconceptions of <a href="/wiki/Anatta" class="mw-redirect" title="Anatta">An-atman</a> (non-soul, non-self) as a form of Avidya.<sup id="cite_ref-alexwayman21_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-alexwayman21-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Etymology_and_meaning">Etymology and meaning</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Avidy%C4%81_(Hinduism)&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Etymology and meaning"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><i>Avidyā</i> (अविद्या) is a Vedic Sanskrit word, and is a compound of "a" and "vidya", meaning "not vidya". The word <i>vidya</i> is derived from the Sanskrit root <i>Vid</i>, which means "to know, to perceive, to see, to understand".<sup id="cite_ref-mmwp918_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-mmwp918-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Therefore, <i>avidya</i> means to "not know, not perceive, not understand". The <i>Vid*</i>-related terms appears extensively in the <a href="/wiki/Rigveda" title="Rigveda">Rigveda</a> and other <a href="/wiki/Vedas" title="Vedas">Vedas</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-mmwp918_1-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-mmwp918-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Avidya is usually rendered as "ignorance" in English translations of ancient Indian texts, sometimes as "spiritual ignorance".<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The word avidyā is derived from the <a href="/wiki/Proto-Indo-European_language" title="Proto-Indo-European language">Proto-Indo-European</a> root *<i>weid</i>-, meaning "to see" or "to know". It is a <a href="/wiki/Cognate" title="Cognate">cognate</a> of Latin <i>vidēre</i> (which would turn to "video") and English "wit". </p><p>While Avidya found in Indian philosophies is translated as "ignorance", states Alex Wayman, this is a mistranslation because Avidya means more than ignorance. He suggests the term "unwisdom" to be a better rendition.<sup id="cite_ref-alexwayman21_2-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-alexwayman21-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The term includes not only ignorance out of darkness, but also obscuration, misconceptions, mistaking illusion to be reality or impermanent to be permanent or suffering to be bliss or non-self to be self (delusions).<sup id="cite_ref-alexwayman21_2-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-alexwayman21-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Incorrect knowledge is another form of Avidya, states Wayman.<sup id="cite_ref-alexwayman21_2-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-alexwayman21-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Avidya represents fundamental ignorance, state Jones and Ryan, a misperception of the phenomenal world.<sup id="cite_ref-ryanjones57_3-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ryanjones57-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In Hinduism, Avidya includes confusing the mundane reality to be the only reality, and it as a permanent though it is ever changing.<sup id="cite_ref-ryanjones57_3-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ryanjones57-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Its doctrines assert that there is a spiritual reality consisting of Atman-Brahman, one that is the true, eternal, imperishable reality beyond time.<sup id="cite_ref-ryanjones57_3-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ryanjones57-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-lynnfoulston14_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lynnfoulston14-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="In_the_Vedic_texts_and_Upanishads">In the Vedic texts and Upanishads</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Avidy%C4%81_(Hinduism)&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: In the Vedic texts and Upanishads"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Avidya in the earliest Vedic texts is ignorance, and in later Vedic texts evolves to include anything that is a "positive hindrance" to spiritual or nonspiritual knowledge.<sup id="cite_ref-scharfstein376_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-scharfstein376-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In the Upanishads, the concept includes "lack of knowledge, inadequate knowledge and false knowledge".<sup id="cite_ref-scharfstein376_11-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-scharfstein376-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p><a href="/wiki/Isha_Upanishad" title="Isha Upanishad">Isha Upanishad</a> refers to <i>vidya</i> and <i>avidya</i> in verses 9-11: </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1244412712">.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}</style><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>It's far different from knowledge, they say, Different also from ignorance, we're told- so have we heard from wise men, who have explained it to us. </p><div class="paragraphbreak" style="margin-top:0.5em"></div><p>Knowledge and ignorance- a man who knows them both together, Passes beyond death by ignorance, and by knowledge attains immortality.</p><div class="templatequotecite">— <cite>Isha Upanishad, Verse 10-11<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOlivelle1998409_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOlivelle1998409-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></cite></div></blockquote><p><i><a href="/wiki/Katha_Upanishad" title="Katha Upanishad">Katha Upanishad</a></i> uses the metaphor of blindness to describe <i>avidya</i>: <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"></p><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>Wallowing in ignorance, but calling themselves wise, thinking themselves learned, the fools go around, staggering about like a group of blind men, led by a man who is himself blind.</p><div class="templatequotecite">— <cite>Katha Upanishad, Verse 2.5<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOlivelle1998383_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOlivelle1998383-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></cite></div></blockquote><p><a href="/wiki/Mundaka_Upanishad" title="Mundaka Upanishad">Mundaka Upanishad</a> references <i>avidya</i> similar to the <i>Katha Upanishad</i> verse 2.5: <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"></p><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>Wallowing in ignorance time and again, the fools imagine, "We have reached our aim!" Because of their passion, they do not understand, these people who are given to rites"</p><div class="templatequotecite">— <cite>Mundaka Upanishad, Verse 1.2.9<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOlivelle1998441_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOlivelle1998441-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></cite></div></blockquote> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="In_Yoga_Darsana">In Yoga Darsana</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Avidy%C4%81_(Hinduism)&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: In Yoga Darsana"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Avidya is described in the <a href="/wiki/Yoga_Sutras_of_Patanjali" title="Yoga Sutras of Patanjali">Yoga Sutras</a> by Patanjali, as the first of the five <a href="/wiki/Kleshas_(Hinduism)" title="Kleshas (Hinduism)">kleshas</a>, the knots of affliction, and the productive field of all them that follow.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In Yoga Sutras II.5, Patanjali defines Avidya as confusing the nature of the soul with the body:<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBryant2009178-185_16-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBryant2009178-185-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <dl><dd>अनित्याशुचिदुःखानात्मसु नित्यशुचिसुखात्मख्यातिरविद्या॥ ५॥</dd> <dd><span title="International Alphabet of Sanskrit transliteration"><i lang="sa-Latn">anityashuchiduhkhanatmasu nityashuchisukhatmakhyatiravidya</i></span></dd> <dd>Ignorance is the notion that takes the self, which is joyful, pure, and eternal, to be the nonself, which is painful, unclean, and temporary.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBryant2009178-179_17-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBryant2009178-179-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></dd></dl> <p>In Yogra Sutras II.2, Patanjali gives Kriya yoga as a method for overcoming Avidya and other klesas.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBryant2009173-175_18-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBryant2009173-175-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="In_Advaita_Vedanta">In Advaita Vedanta</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Avidy%C4%81_(Hinduism)&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: In Advaita Vedanta"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1251242444">.mw-parser-output .ambox{border:1px solid #a2a9b1;border-left:10px solid #36c;background-color:#fbfbfb;box-sizing:border-box}.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+link+.ambox{margin-top:-1px}html body.mediawiki .mw-parser-output .ambox.mbox-small-left{margin:4px 1em 4px 0;overflow:hidden;width:238px;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em}.mw-parser-output .ambox-speedy{border-left:10px solid #b32424;background-color:#fee7e6}.mw-parser-output .ambox-delete{border-left:10px solid #b32424}.mw-parser-output .ambox-content{border-left:10px solid #f28500}.mw-parser-output .ambox-style{border-left:10px solid #fc3}.mw-parser-output .ambox-move{border-left:10px solid #9932cc}.mw-parser-output .ambox-protection{border-left:10px solid #a2a9b1}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-text{border:none;padding:0.25em 0.5em;width:100%}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image{border:none;padding:2px 0 2px 0.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-imageright{border:none;padding:2px 0.5em 2px 0;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-empty-cell{border:none;padding:0;width:1px}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image-div{width:52px}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .ambox{margin:0 10%}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .ambox{display:none!important}}</style><table class="box-More_citations_needed_section plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-Refimprove" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div class="mbox-image-div"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Question_book-new.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/50px-Question_book-new.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="39" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/75px-Question_book-new.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/100px-Question_book-new.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="399" /></a></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">This section <b>needs additional citations for <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">verification</a></b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> Please help <a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Avidy%C4%81_(Hinduism)" title="Special:EditPage/Avidyā (Hinduism)">improve this article</a> by <a href="/wiki/Help:Referencing_for_beginners" title="Help:Referencing for beginners">adding citations to reliable sources</a> in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.</span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">June 2010</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The effect of avidya is to suppress the real nature of things and present something else in its place. In effect it is not different from <a href="/wiki/Maya_(illusion)" class="mw-redirect" title="Maya (illusion)">Maya</a> (pronounced Māyā) or illusion. Avidya relates to the individual Self (<i><a href="/wiki/%C4%80tman_(Hinduism)" title="Ātman (Hinduism)">Ātman</a></i>), while Maya is an adjunct of the cosmic Self (<i><a href="/wiki/Brahman" title="Brahman">Brahman</a></i>). In both cases it connotes the principle of differentiation of an experienced reality into the subject ('I') and an object, as is implicit in human thinking. Avidya stands for that delusion which breaks up the original unity (refer: <a href="/wiki/Nondualism_(spirituality)" class="mw-redirect" title="Nondualism (spirituality)">nonduality</a>) of what is real and presents it as subject and object and as doer and result of the deed. What keeps humanity captive in <a href="/wiki/Samsara" class="mw-redirect" title="Samsara">Samsara</a> is this avidya. This ignorance, "the ignorance veiling our true self and the truth of the world",<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> is not lack of erudition; it is ignorance about the nature of 'Being' (<i><a href="/wiki/Sat_(Sanskrit)" class="mw-redirect" title="Sat (Sanskrit)">Sat</a></i>). It is a limitation that is natural to human sensory or intellectual apparatus. This is responsible for all the misery of humanity. <a href="/wiki/Advaita_Vedanta" title="Advaita Vedanta">Advaita Vedanta</a> holds that the eradication of it should be humanity's only goal and that will automatically mean realisation of the Self (<i><a href="/wiki/%C4%80tman_(Hinduism)" title="Ātman (Hinduism)">Ātman</a></i>).<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p><a href="/wiki/Adi_Shankara" title="Adi Shankara">Adi Shankara</a> says in his Introduction to his commentary on the <a href="/wiki/Brahma_Sutras" title="Brahma Sutras">Brahma Sutras</a>, </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>Owing to an absence of discrimination, there continues a natural human behaviour in the form of 'I am this' or 'This is mine'; this is avidya. It is a superimposition of the attributes of one thing on another. The ascertainment of the nature of the real entity by separating the superimposed thing from it is vidya (knowledge, illumination).</p></blockquote> <p>In the view of his later followers, avidya cannot be categorized either as 'absolutely existent' or as 'absolutely non-existent'.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMayeda199278_21-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMayeda199278-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Avidy%C4%81_(Hinduism)&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Atma_Shatakam" class="mw-redirect" title="Atma Shatakam">Atma Shatakam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Avidy%C4%81_(Buddhism)" title="Avidyā (Buddhism)">Avidyā (Buddhism)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Maya_(illusion)" class="mw-redirect" title="Maya (illusion)">Maya (illusion)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kleshas_(Hinduism)" title="Kleshas (Hinduism)">Kleshas (Hinduism)</a></li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Moh" title="Moh">Moh</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Avidy%C4%81_(Hinduism)&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 30em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-mmwp918-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-mmwp918_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-mmwp918_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-mmwp918_1-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFMonier_Monier-Williams1872" class="citation book cs1">Monier Monier-Williams (1872). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=_3NWAAAAcAAJ"><i>A Sanskrit-English Dictionary</i></a>. Oxford University Press. p. 918.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=A+Sanskrit-English+Dictionary&rft.pages=918&rft.pub=Oxford+University+Press&rft.date=1872&rft.au=Monier+Monier-Williams&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D_3NWAAAAcAAJ&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAvidy%C4%81+%28Hinduism%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-alexwayman21-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-alexwayman21_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-alexwayman21_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-alexwayman21_2-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-alexwayman21_2-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-alexwayman21_2-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAlex_Wayman1957" class="citation journal cs1">Alex Wayman (1957). "The Meaning of Unwisdom (Avidya)". <i>Philosophy East and West</i>. <b>7</b> (1/2): 21–25. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.2307%2F1396830">10.2307/1396830</a>. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1396830">1396830</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Philosophy+East+and+West&rft.atitle=The+Meaning+of+Unwisdom+%28Avidya%29&rft.volume=7&rft.issue=1%2F2&rft.pages=21-25&rft.date=1957&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.2307%2F1396830&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F1396830%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.au=Alex+Wayman&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAvidy%C4%81+%28Hinduism%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-ryanjones57-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-ryanjones57_3-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ryanjones57_3-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ryanjones57_3-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ryanjones57_3-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ryanjones57_3-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFConstance_JonesJames_D._Ryan2006" class="citation book cs1">Constance Jones; James D. Ryan (2006). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=OgMmceadQ3gC"><i>Encyclopedia of Hinduism</i></a>. Infobase Publishing. p. 57. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8160-7564-5" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-8160-7564-5"><bdi>978-0-8160-7564-5</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Encyclopedia+of+Hinduism&rft.pages=57&rft.pub=Infobase+Publishing&rft.date=2006&rft.isbn=978-0-8160-7564-5&rft.au=Constance+Jones&rft.au=James+D.+Ryan&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DOgMmceadQ3gC&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAvidy%C4%81+%28Hinduism%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-GombrichScherrer2008p209-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-GombrichScherrer2008p209_4-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFRichard_Francis_GombrichCristina_Anna_Scherrer-Schaub2008" class="citation book cs1">Richard Francis Gombrich; Cristina Anna Scherrer-Schaub (2008). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=U7_Rea05eAMC"><i>Buddhist Studies</i></a>. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 209–210. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-81-208-3248-0" title="Special:BookSources/978-81-208-3248-0"><bdi>978-81-208-3248-0</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Buddhist+Studies&rft.pages=209-210&rft.pub=Motilal+Banarsidass&rft.date=2008&rft.isbn=978-81-208-3248-0&rft.au=Richard+Francis+Gombrich&rft.au=Cristina+Anna+Scherrer-Schaub&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DU7_Rea05eAMC&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAvidy%C4%81+%28Hinduism%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSengaku_Mayeda2006" class="citation book cs1">Sengaku Mayeda (2006). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=3Jc9RHYN3qsC"><i>A Thousand Teachings: The Upadesasahasri of Sankara</i></a>. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 76–78. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-81-208-2771-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-81-208-2771-4"><bdi>978-81-208-2771-4</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=A+Thousand+Teachings%3A+The+Upadesasahasri+of+Sankara&rft.pages=76-78&rft.pub=Motilal+Banarsidass&rft.date=2006&rft.isbn=978-81-208-2771-4&rft.au=Sengaku+Mayeda&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D3Jc9RHYN3qsC&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAvidy%C4%81+%28Hinduism%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFTrainor2004" class="citation book cs1">Trainor, Kevin (2004). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=_PrloTKuAjwC"><i>Buddhism: The Illustrated Guide</i></a>. Oxford University Press. p. 74. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-19-517398-7" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-19-517398-7"><bdi>978-0-19-517398-7</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Buddhism%3A+The+Illustrated+Guide&rft.pages=74&rft.pub=Oxford+University+Press&rft.date=2004&rft.isbn=978-0-19-517398-7&rft.aulast=Trainor&rft.aufirst=Kevin&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D_PrloTKuAjwC&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAvidy%C4%81+%28Hinduism%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFIan_Whicher1998" class="citation book cs1">Ian Whicher (1998). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=_Qo9K9hPvQgC&pg=PA110"><i>The Integrity of the Yoga Darsana: A Reconsideration of Classical Yoga</i></a>. State University of New York Press. p. 110, see both translations on the same page by Ian Whicher. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7914-3815-2" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-7914-3815-2"><bdi>978-0-7914-3815-2</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Integrity+of+the+Yoga+Darsana%3A+A+Reconsideration+of+Classical+Yoga&rft.pages=110%2C+see+both+translations+on+the+same+page+by+Ian+Whicher&rft.pub=State+University+of+New+York+Press&rft.date=1998&rft.isbn=978-0-7914-3815-2&rft.au=Ian+Whicher&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D_Qo9K9hPvQgC%26pg%3DPA110&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAvidy%C4%81+%28Hinduism%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMariasusai_Dhavamony1973" class="citation book cs1">Mariasusai Dhavamony (1973). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=ALfSPvRO7DgC&pg=PA297"><i>Phenomenology of Religion</i></a>. Gregorian. p. 297. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-88-7652-474-5" title="Special:BookSources/978-88-7652-474-5"><bdi>978-88-7652-474-5</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Phenomenology+of+Religion&rft.pages=297&rft.pub=Gregorian&rft.date=1973&rft.isbn=978-88-7652-474-5&rft.au=Mariasusai+Dhavamony&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DALfSPvRO7DgC%26pg%3DPA297&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAvidy%C4%81+%28Hinduism%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">[a] M Hiriyanna (2000), <i>The Essentials of Indian Philosophy</i>, Motilal Banarsidass, <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-8120813304" title="Special:BookSources/978-8120813304">978-8120813304</a>, pp. 25, 160-161;<br />[b] Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty (1986), Dreams, Illusion, and Other Realities, University of Chicago Press, <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0226618555" title="Special:BookSources/978-0226618555">978-0226618555</a>, pages 118-119</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-lynnfoulston14-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-lynnfoulston14_10-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Lynn Foulston and Stuart Abbott (2009), <i>Hindu Goddesses: Beliefs and Practices</i>, Sussex Academic Press, <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1902210438" title="Special:BookSources/978-1902210438">978-1902210438</a>, pages 14-16</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-scharfstein376-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-scharfstein376_11-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-scharfstein376_11-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBen-Ami_Scharfstein1998" class="citation book cs1">Ben-Ami Scharfstein (1998). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=1xXJBZLn04IC"><i>Comparative History of World Philosophy, A: From the Upanishads to Kant</i></a>. State University of New York Press. pp. 376–377 with footnotes. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4384-1887-2" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-4384-1887-2"><bdi>978-1-4384-1887-2</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Comparative+History+of+World+Philosophy%2C+A%3A+From+the+Upanishads+to+Kant&rft.pages=376-377+with+footnotes&rft.pub=State+University+of+New+York+Press&rft.date=1998&rft.isbn=978-1-4384-1887-2&rft.au=Ben-Ami+Scharfstein&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D1xXJBZLn04IC&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAvidy%C4%81+%28Hinduism%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEOlivelle1998409-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOlivelle1998409_12-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFOlivelle1998">Olivelle 1998</a>, p. 409.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEOlivelle1998383-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOlivelle1998383_13-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFOlivelle1998">Olivelle 1998</a>, p. 383.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEOlivelle1998441-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOlivelle1998441_14-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFOlivelle1998">Olivelle 1998</a>, p. 441.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Yoga Sutras, II.4</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEBryant2009178-185-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBryant2009178-185_16-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBryant2009">Bryant 2009</a>, p. 178-185.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEBryant2009178-179-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBryant2009178-179_17-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBryant2009">Bryant 2009</a>, p. 178-179.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEBryant2009173-175-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBryant2009173-175_18-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBryant2009">Bryant 2009</a>, p. 173-175.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMohrhoff" class="citation web cs1">Mohrhoff, Ulrich. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120405110917/http://thisquantumworld.com/PDF/Avidya.pdf">"The Veil of Avidya"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Pondicherry, India. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://thisquantumworld.com/PDF/Avidya.pdf">the original</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> on 2012-04-05<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2012-06-03</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Veil+of+Avidya&rft.pub=Sri+Aurobindo+International+Centre+of+Education%2C+Pondicherry%2C+India&rft.aulast=Mohrhoff&rft.aufirst=Ulrich&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fthisquantumworld.com%2FPDF%2FAvidya.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAvidy%C4%81+%28Hinduism%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/religion/advaita-bhava/article4915127.ece">"Advaita bhava"</a>. <i>The Hindu</i>. 2013-07-14. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0971-751X">0971-751X</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2020-01-08</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Hindu&rft.atitle=Advaita+bhava&rft.date=2013-07-14&rft.issn=0971-751X&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehindu.com%2Ffeatures%2Ffriday-review%2Freligion%2Fadvaita-bhava%2Farticle4915127.ece&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAvidy%C4%81+%28Hinduism%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMayeda199278-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMayeda199278_21-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMayeda1992">Mayeda 1992</a>, p. 78.</span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Sources">Sources</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Avidy%C4%81_(Hinduism)&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Sources"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBryant2009" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Edwin_F._Bryant" class="mw-redirect" title="Edwin F. Bryant">Bryant, Edwin F.</a> (2009). <i>The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali: A New Edition, Translation and Commentary</i>. New York: North Point Press. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0865477360" title="Special:BookSources/978-0865477360"><bdi>978-0865477360</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Yoga+S%C5%ABtras+of+Pata%C3%B1jali%3A+A+New+Edition%2C+Translation+and+Commentary&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=North+Point+Press&rft.date=2009&rft.isbn=978-0865477360&rft.aulast=Bryant&rft.aufirst=Edwin+F.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAvidy%C4%81+%28Hinduism%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMayeda1992" class="citation book cs1">Mayeda, Sengaku (1992). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/thousandteaching00sank">"An Introduction to the Life and Thought of Sankara"</a>. In Mayeda, Sengaku (ed.). <i>A Thousand Teachings: The Upadeśasāhasrī of Śaṅkara</i>. State University of New York City Press. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7914-0944-9" title="Special:BookSources/0-7914-0944-9"><bdi>0-7914-0944-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=An+Introduction+to+the+Life+and+Thought+of+Sankara&rft.btitle=A+Thousand+Teachings%3A+The+Upade%C5%9Bas%C4%81hasr%C4%AB+of+%C5%9Aa%E1%B9%85kara&rft.pub=State+University+of+New+York+City+Press&rft.date=1992&rft.isbn=0-7914-0944-9&rft.aulast=Mayeda&rft.aufirst=Sengaku&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fthousandteaching00sank&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAvidy%C4%81+%28Hinduism%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFOlivelle1998" class="citation book cs1 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">Olivelle, Patrick, ed. (1998). <i>The Early Upanisads: annotated text and translation</i>. South Asia research (in English and Sanskrit). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 409. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-19-512435-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-19-512435-4"><bdi>978-0-19-512435-4</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Early+Upanisads%3A+annotated+text+and+translation&rft.place=New+York&rft.series=South+Asia+research&rft.pages=409&rft.pub=Oxford+University+Press&rft.date=1998&rft.isbn=978-0-19-512435-4&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAvidy%C4%81+%28Hinduism%29" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> <!-- NewPP limit report Parsed by mw‐api‐int.codfw.main‐6fb5f6ff64‐dznvn Cached time: 20241128210135 Cache expiry: 2592000 Reduced expiry: false Complications: [vary‐revision‐sha1, show‐toc] CPU time usage: 0.560 seconds Real time usage: 0.711 seconds Preprocessor visited node count: 3081/1000000 Post‐expand include size: 94356/2097152 bytes Template argument size: 6392/2097152 bytes Highest expansion depth: 16/100 Expensive parser function count: 3/500 Unstrip recursion depth: 1/20 Unstrip post‐expand size: 167322/5000000 bytes Lua time usage: 0.367/10.000 seconds Lua memory usage: 26541171/52428800 bytes Number of Wikibase entities loaded: 0/400 --> <!-- Transclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template) 100.00% 637.117 1 -total 28.76% 183.252 1 Template:Reflist 19.47% 124.076 1 Template:Hindu_philosophy 18.98% 120.914 1 Template:Sidebar_with_collapsible_lists 17.79% 113.353 11 Template:Cite_book 16.54% 105.399 1 Template:IAST 16.34% 104.089 1 Template:Transliteration 13.96% 88.935 3 Template:Sidebar 10.58% 67.377 1 Template:Short_description 8.46% 53.922 3 Template:Blockquote --> <!-- Saved in parser cache with key enwiki:pcache:699441:|#|:idhash:canonical and timestamp 20241128210135 and revision id 1250625701. Rendering was triggered because: api-parse --> </div><!--esi <esi:include src="/esitest-fa8a495983347898/content" /> --><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1&useformat=desktop" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Avidyā_(Hinduism)&oldid=1250625701">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Avidyā_(Hinduism)&oldid=1250625701</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Hindu_philosophical_concepts" title="Category:Hindu philosophical concepts">Hindu philosophical concepts</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Ignorance" title="Category:Ignorance">Ignorance</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Sanskrit_words_and_phrases" title="Category:Sanskrit words and phrases">Sanskrit words and phrases</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden categories: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_short_description" title="Category:Articles with short description">Articles with short description</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Short_description_matches_Wikidata" title="Category:Short description matches Wikidata">Short description matches Wikidata</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_needing_additional_references_from_June_2010" title="Category:Articles needing additional references from June 2010">Articles needing additional references from June 2010</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:All_articles_needing_additional_references" title="Category:All articles needing additional references">All articles needing additional references</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:CS1_Sanskrit-language_sources_(sa)" title="Category:CS1 Sanskrit-language sources (sa)">CS1 Sanskrit-language sources (sa)</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 11 October 2024, at 14:46<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_4.0_International_License" title="Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License</a>; additional terms may apply. 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