Avidyā (Hinduism)
Sanskrit word meaning ignorance / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Avidyā is a Sanskrit word whose literal meaning is ignorance, misconceptions, misunderstandings, incorrect knowledge, and it is the opposite of Vidya.[1] It is used extensively in Hindu texts, including the Upanishads, and in other Indian religions such as Buddhism and Jainism, particularly in the context of metaphysical reality.[2][3][4]
Avidyā, in all Dharmic systems, represents fundamental ignorance and misperception of the phenomenal world.[3] However, the Indian religions disagree on the details, for example with Hinduism considering a denial and misconceptions of Atman (soul, self) as a form of Avidya, and Buddhism considering the denial and misconceptions of An-atman (non-soul, non-self) as a form of Avidya.[2][5][6]