What is exactly Avijja -- and how to uproot it? To most of the questions about Nibbana, the easiest answer is "Avijja".


But what exactly this Avijja? Improper attention, ignorance?
What are we ignoring, and then what's the fact that we should not ignore or we should look in the world?
How can we uproot it?


I know Avijja can be easily answered in few words (e.g. with definitions, or some other synonyms) -- but why I'm asking this question is, it says that uprooting Avijja is the path to Enlightenment.

If we take an example:


If someone "ask how to be a mathematician?", an answer would be (I'm limiting the answer set in a way to explain the question), "you need to learn addition / subtraction, integration, differentiation, etc."
So what I'm asking is like "how to be enlightened?", an answer is "uproot the Avijja".
So now I'm asking "what is Avijja?" like "what is addition?".
I'm not expecting an answer like "the action or process of adding something to something else." Instead I'm expecting an answer like, how it is taught to us in elementary school (like using Abacus).
Because for Buddhism most of us are like children -- if not we are Arhat by now. 


Please I just try to explain the answer with these stories, but not to offend anyone. With Metta, I'm expecting a detailed answer from the wise people in the community.
Maybe you've heard of the old South Indian Monkey Trap (from this article):


  In Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert Pirsig’s
  bonkers-but-brilliant philosophical novel that turns 40 this year, he
  describes “the old South Indian Monkey Trap”. ... The trap
  “consists of a hollowed-out coconut, chained to a stake. The coconut
  has some rice inside which can be grabbed through a small hole”. The
  monkey’s hand fits through the hole, but his clenched fist can’t fit
  back out. “The monkey is suddenly trapped.” But not by anything
  physical. He’s trapped by an idea, unable to see that a principle that
  served him well – “when you see rice, hold on tight!” – has become
  lethal.


The monkey needs to let go of the rice in order to free himself from his suffering. The way to end his suffering, is to end his craving for rice.

But in order to end his craving for rice, he must first understand how his hand is stuck inside the coconut. When the monkey overcomes his ignorance about how the trap works, he would let go of his craving for rice, and release his clenched fist. With this, he would be free from his suffering.

Also you can say that the monkey's suffering originated with his ignorance of the trap.

Knowing how the trap works, i.e. gaining insight and wisdom into the nature of reality, is the way to overcome ignorance.


(Illustration above: Paul Thurlby for the Guardian)