Ignorance Pervades the Three Times

The link of ignorance spans the three lifetimes. In the past life, it was because of ignorance that the subsequent eleven links arose; in this life, it is again because of ignorance that contact, feeling, craving, and grasping continue without cessation; and in future lives, it will likewise be because of ignorance that these processes continue to operate, so birth and death across the three lifetimes never cease. At which stage is ignorance eradicated? In fact, at the time of the Buddha, most of those who cultivated the twelve links of dependent origination had already practiced the Four Noble Truths, and many had even already attained the fruits of realization. They cultivated the twelve links on the foundation of having eradicated the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi), so their ignorance had already been eradicated, only not thoroughly and completely. Therefore, those who cultivated the twelve links of dependent origination and realized the fruit of the pratyekabuddha attained a higher fruit than that of the arhat, having eradicated more ignorance, with meditative concentration and wisdom deeper than those of an arhat. Ignorance has many levels, and pratyekabuddhas have not eradicated it ultimately; only the Buddhas have completely and ultimately eradicated ignorance.