rig pa and ma rig pa

To continue with our presentation of topics around the sources of suffering. The words rig pa and ma rig pa are very useful.

rig pa means pure information awareness, being aware of things as they really are. The opposite - ma is the negation particle here -- ma rig pa, is ignorance, not knowing how things really are. rig pa has many translations, check out the various examples over at dharmadictionary.

Unlike most other world views, in Buddhism there's really no ultimate battle between good and evil forces. It' rather the split between ignorance and true knowledge. Ignorance will trigger wrong modes in mind, causing suffering. True knowledge will stop such wrong modes of mind happening.

In such a world view, evil forces are evil as they are ignorance about the consequences of their actions, leading to suffering, not just for others, also for the evil ones. Good is also mostly ignorant, not knowing why goodness is happening around them, leading to easily get into wrong mental modes in mind that will create suffering in future. However, just being good is a big positive step, as such mental modes will lead to positive results in future, but such results are alas transitory and will go away.