The Buddha teaches on liable to originate (2nd), applying the analysis of the five aggregates—form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness—to insight and release.

SN 22.127 Liable to Originate (2nd)

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahākoṭṭhiko bārāṇasiyaṁ viharanti isipatane migadāye.

Atha kho āyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

“‘avijjā, avijjā’ti, āvuso sāriputta, vuccati. Katamā nu kho, āvuso, avijjā; kittāvatā ca avijjāgato hotī”ti?

“Idhāvuso assutavā puthujjano samudayadhammaṁ rūpaṁ ‘samudayadhammaṁ rūpan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti; vayadhammaṁ rūpaṁ …pe… ‘samudayavayadhammaṁ rūpan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.

Samudayadhammaṁ vedanaṁ …pe… vayadhammaṁ vedanaṁ …pe… ‘samudayavayadhammā vedanā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. Samudayadhammaṁ saññaṁ …pe… samudayadhamme saṅkhāre …pe… vayadhamme saṅkhāre …pe… samudayavayadhamme saṅkhāre ‘samudayavayadhammā saṅkhārā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. Samudayadhammaṁ viññāṇaṁ …pe… samudayavayadhammaṁ viññāṇaṁ ‘samudayavayadhammaṁ viññāṇan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.

Ayaṁ vuccati, āvuso, avijjā; ettāvatā ca avijjāgato hotī”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahākoṭṭhiko bārāṇasiyaṁ viharanti isipatane migadāye.

At one time Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were staying near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana. …

Atha kho āyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

Mahākoṭṭhita said to Sāriputta:

“‘avijjā, avijjā’ti, āvuso sāriputta, vuccati.

“Reverend Sāriputta, they speak of this thing called ‘ignorance’.

Katamā nu kho, āvuso, avijjā;

What is ignorance?

kittāvatā ca avijjāgato hotī”ti?

And how is an ignoramus defined?”

“Idhāvuso assutavā puthujjano samudayadhammaṁ rūpaṁ ‘samudayadhammaṁ rūpan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti; vayadhammaṁ rūpaṁ …pe… ‘samudayavayadhammaṁ rūpan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.

“Reverend, it’s when an unlearned ordinary person doesn’t truly understand form, which is liable to originate … liable to vanish … liable to originate and vanish, as form which is liable to originate and vanish.

Samudayadhammaṁ vedanaṁ …pe… vayadhammaṁ vedanaṁ …pe… ‘samudayavayadhammā vedanā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.

They don’t truly understand feeling …

Samudayadhammaṁ saññaṁ …pe…

perception …

samudayadhamme saṅkhāre …pe… vayadhamme saṅkhāre …pe… samudayavayadhamme saṅkhāre ‘samudayavayadhammā saṅkhārā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.

choices …

Samudayadhammaṁ viññāṇaṁ …pe… samudayavayadhammaṁ viññāṇaṁ ‘samudayavayadhammaṁ viññāṇan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.

consciousness, which is liable to originate … liable to vanish … liable to originate and vanish, as consciousness which is liable to originate and vanish.

Ayaṁ vuccati, āvuso, avijjā;

This is called ignorance.

ettāvatā ca avijjāgato hotī”ti.

And this is how an ignoramus is defined.”

Dutiyaṁ.

Qualities:

Delusion

Delusion

A fundamental distortion of reality that sustains confusion, clouds discernment, and fuels further doubt.

Also known as: illusion, hallucination, misapprehension, distorted view
Pāli: moha, micchāñāṇa
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Ignorance

Ignorance

A fundamental blindness to the true nature of reality. It is not merely a lack of information, but an active misperception that views the transient as permanent and the unsatisfactory as a source of happiness, thereby fueling the cycle of suffering.

Also known as: illusion of knowing, fundamental unawareness of the true nature of reality, misunderstanding of how things have come to be, not knowing the four noble truths
Pāli: avijjā
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Last updated on July 27, 2026