Buddha Abhidhamma - Ultimate Science - BuddhaNet

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We can cut off the two main roots of Pañiccasamuppàda by
tranquility and insight-meditation. When we see all the true
nature of mentality and corporeality and open up the eight
departments which are covered up by avijjà, then taõhà has no
place to attach to. So both avijjà and taõhà will be cut off and we
shall be liberated from the round of saüsàra.
8 The Cause of Avijjà
In expounding the Law of Dependent Origination, Buddha began
with avijjà (ignorance) and went on explaining that because of
avijjà, saïkhàra arises; because of saïkhàra, vi¤¤àõa arises; and so
on. So one would enquire whether avijjà is the first cause or there
is another cause for avijjà.
The answer is definite: avijjà is not the first cause and the
four àsavas (cankers or intoxicants) are the cause of avijjà.
The four àsavas are kàmàsava (attachment to sensual pleasures),
bhavàsava (attachment to jhànas and brahma existence), diññhàsava
(false views) and avijjàsava (ignorance).
When a great loss in our property or close relatives occurs,
great sorrow (soka), lamentation (parideva), grief (domanassa) and
despair (upàyàsa) arise in our mind. This shows how attachment
to our property and relatives (kàmàsava) conditions sorrow,
lamentation, grief and despair to arise.
Also when brahmas, who live in jhàna peace, approach death,
they feel scared and sad. Thus sorrow, grief and despair also
arise in them and this arising is a consequence of bhavàsava.
Those, who cling to false views such as sakkàya-diññhi
(personality-belief) taking the body or the mind as ‘I’, feel sad
or angry when something is wrong with the body or the mind.
Thus diññhàsava also causes sorrow or worry, lamentation, grief
and despair to arise.