This article was formerly prepared as a dissertation paper to be submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for Kelaniya in Sri Lanka.
Highlighted here is the Buddhist Perspective on Vegetarianism with reference to the Pāli Texts.
Nowadays, all over the world, many people follow the practice of vegetarianism yet hold different views.
It appeared that some become vegetarian because of their health situations, whereas for most people, such practice is based on their religious belief.
In this context, there may be different ideas on how to follow this practice.
How people make a decision of consuming food with regard to the life of animals?
Vegetarians can be classified into different categories: some consume egg but not milk,whereas some avoid eating egg, but drink milk.
Still some people abstain from taking any by-products of animals such as milk, egg etc. but love to use materials made of animal skin, etc.
Some refrain from consuming or using any product of animals.
In Theravada Buddhism, its adherents are neither encouraged nor forced to be a vegetarian.
Since not a compulsory practice, vegetarians are not praised nor are non-vegetarians to be blame.
The purpose of consuming food in Buddhism is to sustain one's life and body while taking any kind of food that should be blameless and to remove craving for food.
As Buddhism throws light on the Majjhimapaṭpadā (the Middle Way) as its one and only practice to attain final liberation, it wisely advises its adherents to avoid extremes.
The Omniscient Buddha expounded His followers to avoid any food that is unwholesome and any food that is wholesome but blameworthy.
Also, to refrain from ordering to kill animals as he accumulates demerit by doing so and finally to remove wrong views that it is blameworthy to be a non-vegetarian, etc.
This article attempts to convey the original essence of Buddha's teachings with regard to Vegetarianism.
May the readers realize the true perspective of being a good vegetarian.
Venerable sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa
Without vipassanā insight, and without reaching magga, we cannot see Nibbāna - the state of one who is free from craving or attachment.
As long as we have craving and other mental defilements, we are stuck in saṃsāra, stumbling in the darkness of ignotance.
Magga is composed of the eight factors of the Noble Path. Though it is usually translated as "path", magga is actually an acronym of two words:
Kilese marento (drstroying mental defilements)
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Nibbānam gacchati (goes to attain Nibbāna)
What it means is that if you wish to attain Nibbāna, you first must destroy your mental defilements of greed, anger and ignorance in the process.
We begin with an object that has to be a present one, whatever it is. We cannot meditate on something that is not there.
If anger is not present, can we meditate on it?
We also cannot have more than one object otherwise concentration will not develop.
For instance, if there is a pain in the leg and the head is itching, we have to choose between the two.
Eventually we get to a point in our vipassanā practice when, working together as a group, the eight factors become very strong.
And the nothing mind that is very strong now with this unity of factors traces the saṅkhāra object in meditation.
Then, following the nothing mind, insight knowledge in the next mīnd arises that watches this process of mind noting the object, the rising- and - falling of the abdomen, for example.
This watching mind contemplates both in the process of a pair of mind-and-matter arising and disappearing.
At the stage of Nibbāna, the mind that is now very powerful traces the end of the rising-falling without loing the object. (In losing the object, that is, with no object, no mind can arise.) Seeing the end of the saṅkhāra object - that is Nibbāna, like the flash of a camera or laser.
At this point all the mental defilements are burnt as we go beyond the conditioned state.
When we light a candle, four things happen all at once: light appears, darkness disappears, the wick and the wax start to burn. Magga is like that.
It removes the darkness of avijjā or ignorance; it destroys the mental defilements, and stops the saṅkhāra object. At that moment too, the Four Noble Truths are inherently comprehended for good as one realize a permanent state of freedom.
Venerable sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa
In general, people assume that mind and thought are similar. However, when one views the title of this discourse, it is obvious that the modes of action of mind and thought are different.
And, when looking with Abhidhamma knowledge, one sees the distinction between the entity of mind, which is the awareness (citta) of an object, and the entity of the mental state (cetasika) which arises together entities in the natural law of ultimate realities.
In the title 'The thoughs of Mind', 'though' is the designation of a cetasika, a mental state. It refers to a particular cetasika, namely vitakka.
Why is vitakka? In Myanmar, one may have heard, 'I can't sleep at night because of too much "vitak". The meaning of vitakka here is 'thought'.
In the Noble Eightfold Path, one of the eight path factors is sammā saṅkappa, where the meaning of saṅkappa is 'thought', Saṅkappa and Vitakka are different words, but means the same.
Vtakka means thought, and it is said that our minds have thoughts.
In this way, mind and though should be seen as different entities. In the process of the purification of mind, we try to let other thoughts arise and make them stronger.
When there are thoughts in mind, these are appropriate or inappropriate, wholesome or unwholesome. Therefore, it is important to explore the nature of your thoughts, to know what kinds of thoughts are occupying the mind.
The thoughts of mind, the mind with and without thought, or with wholesome and unwholesome thought are to be considered.
May you, dear audience, by considering the mind rightly and by removing the unwholesome thoughts through, all be able to have control over your own thoughts.
And may each and every one of you thereby be able to successfully end all states of dukkha.
Venerable sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa
First of all, it is crucial to know what is good (kusala) and evil (akusala) and how to differentiate between them. Some people, even yogis, are not able to tell the difference. That is why it is important to know the literal meaning of "kusala". It means the removing of evil, while akusala is the negation of it.
Good and bad exist as a pair in us. The two are opposing dhammas. Kusala is the part which is white and pure. It has the characteristic of being blameless (anavajja) and it produces a good and happy result. In contrast, the dingy and blackish part in us is akusala.
Its characterististic is with fault (sāvajja) and it has a bad and unhappy effect (dukkha vipāka). As ultimate realities, their characteristics never change. This is nature's law, not the Buddha's. Wholesomeness and unwholesomeness occur in anyone - of whatever religion, ethnic group or nationality.
With an akusala mind we have self-indulgence for sensual pleasures. We are prone to lie, cheat or steal. With such a habitual mental state, we become evil. Then again with good qualities, the mind becomes beautiful. Because an ordinary person is usually overwhelmed by akusala, his kusala becomes weak and scarce.
Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa
To make our mind peaceful we need to cultivate mettā, loving kindness, in the heart. In this sutta, the Buddha clarifies the power of mettā.
Generally, people communicate by way of speech. Talking helps to understand each other, but when our speech is not proper, when we talk in a wrong way and with unwholesome intentions, it causes many problems such as anger and conflict. Therefore, for a good start of the New Year we can consider how we talk with each other in daily life.
The Buddha gave advice on how to talk sppropriately. This advice is summarized in five guidelines:
1. "Kālena vakkhāmi no akālens". This means,"I shall talk at a suitable time, not at an unsuitaable time".
2. "Bhūtena vakkhāmi no abhūtena". "I shall talk truly, not gslsely". When we talk, it must be true, not untrue or false. Many people talk both truthfully and falsely. However, we should always speak the truth and never lie, the Buddha said.
3. "Sanhena vakkhāmi no pharusena"."I shall talk gently, not harshly". Besides truthfully, we should also talk in a polite and gently way, not harshly or rude. Many people speak gently only when they are happy. Then words as "sweetie" or "honey" are used. However, when angry, people use abusive words like "bloody hell". The Buddha advises us to always talk gently and to avoid rude speech.
4. "Atthasamhitena vakkhāmi no anattha-samhitena". "I shall talk beneficially, not uselessly". Many people talk illogically, about irrelevant matters or about matters that are not of their concern. Whenever we talk, we should try to speak in a beneficial, logical and relevant way. "My speech is never useless, illogical or irrelevant", the Buddha said.
5. "Mettācitto vakkhāmi no dosantarā"? This mrans, "I shall talk with mettā, not with anger". The Buddha recommends that we always talk with kind words, regardless of the circumstances. We should always talk with mettā, with loving kindness, and never with anger or hatred.
We must try to follow these guidelines of the Buddha whenever we communicate with each other. You can make intentions for yourself, according to these guidelines, in this way: "I shall speak gently. I shall speak what is beneficial and I shall speak with loving kindness".
These guidelines protect us, and if we follow them, problems will not arise. Most problems arise because of unsuitable talking. Also, chatting, backbiting and divisive speech lead to anger, quarrel and problems. The mouth is for eating and for talking. However, you should not eat everything. We must only eat suitable food.
In former times, there were gentlemen who even advised not to speak at all when angry, because anger never produces good results and never produces politeness.
In society, there are people who have good discipline, who are thoughtful and watch their mind. And there are people who are not well disciplined.
If you follow the world of thoughtless speech, the problems will not end. Hatred and conflict will continue. Therefore, the Buddha said that you must live with a heart of loving kindness. No matter what the other says, you should respond with loving kindness.
Venerable sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa
Many people often confused or mistaken about which mental state is kusala and which is not. Some are also unaware whether an action carried out is right or wrong. For example, when I visited Germany, I was told that doubt (vicikicchā) is good. Because of it we search for the truth. However, its presence usually leaves us indecisive and unable to do anything.
Then in Myanmar some people say, "I've the cetanā," in talking about motivation to do something meritorious. But not all cetanā are good. Depending on the company it keeps, it just encourages whatever the other associated mental factors do -- both good and bad.
Next, take joy (pīti). Some kinds of pīti are very important and wholesome. With the Dhamma it is a factor of enlightenment and it increases knowledge. Kāma pīti is not so good. So, when we are joyful about something, we should ask ourselves:"What's my joy about?"
In the plane after take-off the steward announces to the passengers, "May I have your attention please?"
This attention is so important. Without it we do not get to see, hear or know a phenomenon because we are thinking of something else. In attending class, if your mind keeps running back home, you will miss much of the lecture.
That is why the Buddha would usually remind listeners before a discourse, "Listen carefully and pay attention."
Manasikāra, usually translated as "attention", literally means "making or keeping [the object] in the mind" or "doing [an action] in the mind". Because of it, the object can be kept in the mind. That is attention's basic function.
Attention acts like the mind's gatekeeper. Attention can be wise (yoniso manasikāra) or improper (ayoniso manasikāra). If you have a useless gatekeeper, he will allow all sorts of bad characters to enter your compound.
So, attention is very important in thought. All types of kusala and akusala thought arise based on it.
Manasikāra (as the adverting consciousness) attends to whatever object that enters a sense-door. The way it turns to the object leads to either a wholesome or unwholesome energetic mind.
Hence thought always comes first. Without it nobody talks or acts. Whether that thought is good or bad depends on an earlier intention.
Human nature is such that on seeing something desirable, enjoyment arises without any consideration about kusala or akusala. Like animals: when they see food, they run and grab it. If others are there as well, they fight. They have no idea to share or offer.
Because of habit, manasikāra leads to either a wholesome or unwholesome energetic mind (javanas).
With resolution and by force of habit we can influence the type of javanas we have. As a start we should try to cultivate good intentions.
We can condition ourselves through practice, learning the Dhamma and associating with the wise to get their advice.
Sometimes determination alone is not enough. We need to incline the mind to wholesomeness with proper attention and constant practice.
For instance, on seeing someone we think, "May he or she be well and happy". This is wise attention.
This sort of manasikāra is led by paññā in unity with mindfulness (sati) and effort (vīriya). This is why it is called wise or proper attention.
It occurs in the practice of samatha and vipassanā too, covering all types of insight knowledge, even up to the highest.
This is very wide field. Accordingly, wise attention is one of the four factors that lead us to become noble person.
Not only that, according to Abhidhammic scholar Ledi Sayadaw, manasikāra can become very powerful, like a big elephant with enormous strength. Then it can do everything.
Even Nibbāna so subtle and hard to grasp, yet manasikāra can pay attention to it. It can even perceive all objects as the preceding mind before omniscience or sabbaññutā ñāṇa.
Venerable sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa
It is important to make an aspiration before (and after) carrying out any meritorious act. Otherwise the effect will not be determined.
There is a big difference between practising Buddhists and medical students. The Buddhist aim is to end suffering. So, we study about matter and do insight meditation to make sure that there is no permanent entity inside us. Medical students study anatomy so that they know how to treat the various parts as doctors. They cannot be arahants though they know more about the body than us.
In Sri Lanka there was a mahāthera with a good knowledge of the Dhamma. At one time when the King came to pay homage to him, he was suffering from a bad belly pain. The King could hear his groans from outside and said, "He can't bear to suffer. So he can't be an arahant." Then he left.
The thera's pupils came and told him,"You make us ashamed."
Their teacher replied, "I wanted to meet the Metteyya Buddha. I could have become an arahant any time I wanted to."
Then he instructed the young monks, "Leave the room for a while."
By the time they came back, the thera had alteady attained arahantship - all because he had changed his intention.
So, your aspiration matters a lot. You need to have an objective: "Through this practice, may I attain magga-phala." If not, you won't. You cannot accidentally become a sotāpanna because you need to aim and work for it. But if you want only happiness from meditation, you will only get happiness, not Nibbāna.
All those who were enlightened during the Buddha's lifetime had made their wish in previous lives. Such a wish for detachment and liberation is not with craving but is simply the chanda that makes the impossible possible.
Venerable sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa
Philosophers used to refer to the world. But they fail to come basic principles of the-world. But they fail to come to a unanimous conclusion as to what the mind is.
Psychologists began their task by probing the nature of the mind. But, when they cannot specify and characterize the mind, they turn to the behaviour of animals and men. Thus, psychology becomes 'the-study of-behaviourism' rather than 'the science of the mind.'
Today's science possesses no instruments to detect the mind. So-scientists tend to deny the existence of the mind and fondle the theory that the brain functions as the mind. This theory cannot explain the strange phenomena of telepathy, clairvoyance, extra-sensory perception, psychokinesis, out-of-body experiments, life after death, etc. Which cannot be denied by science to-day?
Besides brain-research has revealed that, although the brain functions as a super-computer, it requires an external agent to run it just as ordinary computers need to be programmed by men. Isn't that external agent the mind?
Abhidhamma describes ṭhe mind as a combination of citta (consciousness) and cetasikas (mental factors or concomitants of the mind). There are 52 cetasikas or mental factors - some can defile the mind; some can purify the mind and some are neutral. The total number of possible combinations between citta and cetasikas is 121 according to 'Abhidhamma pitaka'.
These combinations accouny for the various states of the mind. They explain fully why the mind is sometimes bad and sometimes wicked and sometimes noble, etc.
An Intellectual Treat
Abhidhamma deals with the realities that really exist in nature. It correctly and microscopically analyses both mind and matter which constitutes this complex machinery of man. It describes the six sense-doors in man, the six senses coming from outside and the arising of thought processes when the senses come into contact with the sense-doors.
Various mental states together with the causes of these mental states are vividly enumerated.Wholesome and unwholesome thoughts and their consequences are elaborated. Also the process of life and death and that of rebirth in various planes under the kammic force are clearly explained.
The law of Dependent Origination and the Law of Causal Relations are treated systematically and thoroughly in Abhidhamma. These laws find no parallel in any other philosophy.
The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma
Just as natural sciences investigate the natural laws that control natural processes, so also Abhidhamma illustrate the natural truths that govern natural processes. But the levels of trement are different.
All natural sciences, such as physics, chemistry, biology, geology, geography, engineering, electronics and medical sciences, deal with matter and energy - the physical aspects of natute. Even psychology, which goes after behaviorism, cannot pin-point the mind and analyse it.
But it is the mind which leada the world and the life of every-body. All sciences and philosophies are produced by the mind, governed by the mind and children of the mind. So the mind is undoubtedly the most powerful agent in the world!
Scientists, philosophers, psychologists and wvery lover of truth will find Abhidhamma to be a special intellectual treat.
What knowledge is there in life which is more valuable than Abhidhamma which is the ultimate teaching of the fully Enlightened One?
Quotation From:
THE ESSENCE OF BUDDHA ABHIDHAMMA BY DR. MEHM TIN MON
B.Sc. Hons. (Ygn.) M.Sc., Ph.D (Illinois, U.S.A) Mahā Saddhamma Jotkadhaja
Professor, International Theravāda Buddhist Missionary University
Adviser to the Minister of Religious Affairs Union of Myanmar.
Everybody in the world wants peace and happiness. This is the reason why people are seeking the true path which leads them to the cessation of suffering. All kinds of religions in the world arise because of this search. One great religion in the world is Buddhism, which leads to the cessation of suffering.
There is also the Mangala Sutta (Suttanipata, verses 258-269) with 38 kinds of blessings. In the suttas are many ethics to follow which enable us to live happily and peacefully such as:
You should live in a suitable place where you can be prosperous in every aspect, having done meritorious deeds in the past.
You should do meritorious deeds as much as possible at present too.
You must watch your deeds, speech and mind properly.
This means, we should keep our deeds, speech and thoughts free from defilements. In this way, there are many aspects of ethics to follow so that we can live happily and peacefully.
So, these ethics too are the best way for living happily and peacefully in our own daily life. There are innumerable aspects of ethics conducive to a happy and peaceful life. To understand and follow them will ensure we live happily and peacefully even though we are not yet able to be rid of all our suffering.
Though these are very conducive to a happy and peaceful life, we should not be content merely with the second aspect of Buddhism. We should proceed to higher aspects of Buddhism, the third aspect – the moral aspect, In this aspect, you must observe precepts, either five, eight or ten.
The ten precepts are for novices (samaneras) while the 227 rules are for monks (bhikkhus).
In daily life, as a laity we must observe at least the five precepts. When we can observe the five precepts perfectly, our morality is purified. When moral conduct is purified, a meditator can easily practice meditation, either Samatha or Vipassana meditation.
Based on the purification of moral conduct, a meditator can easily concentrate on the object of meditation gaining deep concentration, whereby the mind becomes clear, serene and happy.
If a meditator practices strenuously and with perseverance, his concentration will become deep and strong. When the meditator’s concentration becomes deep and strong, he feels happy and experiences rapture because his mind is, at that moment, quite free from all defilements such as greed, hatred, delusion, conceit and so on.
When attachment does not arise, grasping or upadana will not arise. When grasping does not arise, there will not be any wholesome or unwholesome actions, verbal, physical or mental. The action that is caused by grasping is known as kamma-bhave. This may be wholesome or unwholesome.
Wholesome bodily action is kusala kaya-kamma. Unwholesome bodily action is akusala kaya-kamma.
Wholesome verbal action is akusala vaci-kamma.
Wholesome mental action is kusala mano-kamma. Unwholesome mental action is akusala mano-kamma. These actions or kamma arise through the grasping which is the result of attachment to any pleasant or unpleasant feeling or sensation (vedana paccayatanha).
Therefore, if a meditator thinks that feelings should not be observed, he will be carried away along the Chain of Dependent Origination (paticcasamuppada). He will be reborn in the next existence and suffer from a variety of dukkha. That is why the Buddha teaches us to be mindful of any kind of feeling or sensation whether pleasant, unpleasant or neutral.
The Omniscient Buddha lays strees on the purification of sila or moral conduct because it is a basic requirement for progress in concentration as well as insight. When moral conduct is purified, the mind becomes clear, calm, serene and happy. If a meditatior cultivates mindfulness based on purification of moral conduct he can easily concentrate on any object of the mental and physical processes.
In the beginning of the practice his concentration is usually weak and the mind often wanders. So, he should follow the mind and watch it as it is. If a meditator is enthusiastic for the achievement of insight, he may put too much effort in his practice, thereby causing the mind to become distracted and restless. Effort must be kept in balance with concentration. To do this, he must reduce his effort, keeping his mind stable and steady, noting whatever arises in his mind and body attentively, gradually attain some degree of concentration. Because of this concentration, his effort will become steady and firm, neither too strong nor too lax.
In some cases when a meditator has practiced meditation for two or three weeks, his concentration becomes very deep and strong, the noting mind notes the object by itself automatically and effortlessly. However, if insufficient effort is put in, the noting mind will gradually become dull and heavy. Hence, this concentration will change into sloth and torpor or sleepiness. The commentary says:
If concentration is too strong and effort is too weak, then the concentration changes into sloth and torpor or sleepiness (thina-middha). So concentration must be kept in balance with effort (viriya).
VIPASSANA MEDITATION Lectures on Insight Meditation (Chanmyay Sayādaw Ashin Janakābhivamsa
With Mettā
tno (21.3.2019)
In Myanmar there are quite a number of mad dogs which can spread rabies. Suppose you were to see one coming at you, wouldn’t fear arise? That is because you know how dangerous it would be if you got bitten. In the same way saṃvega arises when you see how dangerous conditioned things are, seeing impermanence, suffering and uncontrollability in them.
Fear with paññā is not akusala Saṃvega is usually translated as “urgency”. Its literal meaning though is “fear (with shaking)” which is better. Yet it is not the common fear associated with dosa. It is actually made up of paññā or ñāṇa (knowledge) plus ottappa (moral fear of evil situations).
Because of paññā’s presence, there is no dosa which is akusala and with unhappy feeling. When it rises, there is urgency to meditate, to be free of conditioned things, and to renounce. It causes effort (vīriya) to be more and more.
King Maghadeva (in one of the Bodhisatta’s lives told in the jātaka) once asked his barber to pluck and show him any white hair that had appeared. Only after a very long period – in those days the lifespan was greatly extended – the barber finally showed him a white strand that sprouted.
The King became so frightened, he began to sweat – as though Death had come to invade. He thought, “I’m getting old and near death.” As though raising the white flag as a sign of surrender, he quickly renounced and left his kingdom to become a hermit.
In Myanmar, Taungphilar Sayadaw was once a guru to the king. At one time he came to pay respect to a pagoda near Sagaing. He met Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw who lived in the forest of Pahkangyi with only an attendant. So Taungphilar Sayadaw asked, “Aren’t you afraid to be in such deep forest?”
Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw replied, “I’m afraid. That’s why I stay in the forest. You’re not afraid. That’s why you remain in the kingdom.” Taungphilar Sayadaw understood at once. He never returned to his monastery. Instead he went to Sagaing which was then the place for recluses. Nowadays lobha, dosa and moha are so powerful and prevalent that saṃvega has become so scarce among us.
Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa - DISTINGUISHING GOOD FROM EVIL
With mettā tno (22.3.2019)
What is an indifferent feeling?
Let’s say you bought a beautiful dress and wore it in front of the mirror. You had a very pleasant feeling seeing yourself in that dress. You wore it out the first time feeling very good in it. After one month there was no more of that feeling though you still like that dress and wear it out often.
It is difficult to know an indifferent feeling because it is not clear, lying between happiness and unhappiness. Only by inference can it be known. It is like a stone slab on muddy ground. If we can see footprints on either side of the slab but none on it, we can tell that someone had walked across it. The feeling of indifference is like that. It arises when the object is not particularly desirable.
Upekkhā vedanā is not the arahant’s or yogi’s equanimity of upekkhā. It is better translated as neutral, indifferent or moderate feeling(23). Though the Buddha used the same word “upekkhā (24)”, He gave it a different meaning in different contexts. So we need to know the context or we could easily get confused.
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23Adukkha-masukhā vedanā or feeling that is neither pleasant nor unpleasant.
24 Upekkhā = upa [properly, moderate, not extreme) + ikha [seeing, looking, for example].
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Upekkhā vedanā or indifferent feeling is not easy to understand. You throw a stone in the air. At its highest point, it stops just before it starts to fall: that moment is upekkhā, that neutral point lying between a pleasant and an unpleasant feeling. We have got to find it or else avijjā reigns in us.
When an indifferent feeling arises in us without our noticing it, ignorance also appears from its latent state as avijjānusaya. Not knowing is the delusion of avijjā and the indifference associated with it is aññāṇupekkhā.25
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25Aññāṇa [ignorance] + upekhā [neutral feeling]
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With ignorance in control, it brings with it two helpers: restlessness (uddhacca) and doubt (vicikicchā). With wandering thoughts, we cannot concentrate on one object. So, the mind is not at peace. The feeling is also unclear as we cannot be happy or unhappy about an object. We become confused about what to do: unable to choose between right and wrong. Because of doubt, we are as though at a junction, not knowing whether to turn left or right, to select this or that, to know whether it is true or not.
Doubt is dangerous for the reason that we find it hard to continue to study, meditate or to do kusala. Because of ignorance, we do not know the nature of dhammas as avijjā is opposed to knowledge. It leads to misunderstanding and even wrongdoing.
Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa - DISTINGUISHING GOOD FROM EVIL
with mettā,
tno (23.3.2019)