Ajnana

The opposite of JÑšNA. Since jñ€na is knowledge, ajñ€na is usually translated as “ignorance.” More importantly in both Indian philosophy and theosophy, it is not just ignorance of specific facts, but a fundamental ignorance of our true spiritual nature. As a result of this ignorance of who we really are, we become egocentric and make trouble for ourselves and others. Getting rid of this fundamental ignorance, i.e., attaining Self-Realization, is the basic purpose of our existence. Ajñ€na is often used synonymously with AVIDYš.