This is my personal admonition:Ignorance (avidya) and delusion (mūnyō) manifest as the veils that obscure our perception of truth, steering us toward suffering. The concept of “wrong view” (jaken) refers to perceiving the world in a misguided way, often at odds with reality. These erroneous views spring from ignorance or delusion, leading to misapprehensions about causality, the nature of phenomena, and the adoption of false beliefs.

Ignorance is the absence of knowledge, while delusion represents the failure to grasp the truth. Conversely, wrong view signifies the state of holding misguided beliefs, whether intentionally or unknowingly. An example of this is the false belief that “happiness can be attained through wealth.” Such views only serve to reinforce actions and judgments rooted in illusion and misunderstanding.

In essence: ignorance is “not knowing,” delusion is “losing sight of the truth,” and wrong view is “holding distorted perceptions.”

These teachings are grounded in several Buddhist scriptures, each offering insights into the interconnected nature of these concepts:

The Lotus Sutra
This scripture expounds on how wrong views, delusion, and ignorance serve as the root causes of suffering. It specifically addresses the “Four Wrong Views” (shijaken), providing a clear understanding of how these erroneous perspectives shape our experience.

The Pure Land Sutra
Here, the emphasis is placed on ignorance and delusion as the primary sources of suffering. The path to liberation is offered through the rebirth in the Pure Land, where one can overcome these afflictions and attain enlightenment.

The Alaya-Vijnana Sutra
Through the concept of Alaya-Vijnana (the “storehouse consciousness”), this sutra illuminates how ignorance and delusion infiltrate the mind, fostering wrong views and misleading perceptions.

The Madhyamaka Karika (Nāgārjuna’s Middle Way)
In this profound text, Nāgārjuna offers a theoretical analysis of how delusion, wrong views, and defilements lead beings astray, reinforcing their suffering. It further highlights how ignorance obstructs the path to liberation, particularly through the doctrine of emptiness (śūnyatā).

These scriptures intimately weave together the concepts of delusion, ignorance, and wrong view, positioning them as fundamental sources of suffering within Buddhist philosophy.