Ignorance is to believe that you are someone separate from the One

The following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

तवैवाज्ञानतो विश्वं त्वमेकः परमार्थतः।

त्वत्तोऽन्यो नास्ति संसारी नासंसारी च कश्चन॥

It is through your ignorance alone that the universe appears to exist. In reality you are the One.

Other than you there is no individual self or supreme Self.

~ Ashtavakra Gita (Chapter 15, Verse 16)

Questioner: What is meant by “your ignorance”, when it has been said, “In reality, you are the One”?

Acharya Prashant: For the one who is asking this question, “The One” means nothing. For the one who is asking the question or for the one who asks any question; there is the world, there are appearances, there are things, places, knowledge, lack of knowledge. For the one who is asking the question, there is only all this. This, that is called the world or the mind of the one who is talking, eating, breathing, asking; this is called ignorance.