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'''Avidya'''  (devanāgarī: अविद्या avidyā) is a [[Sanskrit]] word commonly translated as "ignorance" or "delusion". In spiritual contexts it refers to a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of Reality.

In [[Buddhism]] it is regarded as the first link in the twelve [[Nidāna|links of dependent origination]].

In [[Patañjali]]'s Raja Yoga Avidyā is seen as the first [[kleśas|cause of affliction]], defined as "taking the non-eternal for the eternal, the impure for the pure, evil for good and non-self as self".

In [[Advaita Vedanta]] Avidya is also seen as the primary factor for [[Māyā|illusion]], and is defined as ''adhyāsa'', normally translated as "misapprehension" or "wrong cognition".

== Additional resources ==
=== Articles ===
* [https://theosophy.world/encyclopedia/Avidya Avidya] at Theosophy World.

== Notes ==
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[[Category:Sanskrit terms]]
[[Category:Buddhist concepts]]
[[Category:Hindu concepts]]