Iti 40

Itivuttaka: The Group of Twos

translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: "Ignorance[1] precedes the arrival of unskillful qualities; lack of conscience & lack of concern[2] follow after. Clear knowing precedes the arrival of skillful qualities; conscience & concern follow after."

Any bad destinations in this world, in the next, are rooted in ignorance all accumulations of desire & greed.

And when a person of evil desires lacks conscience & respect, evil comes from that, and by that he goes to deprivation.

So cleansing away ignorance, desire, & greed, a monk giving rise to clear knowing would abandon all bad destinations.

Notes

1. Ignorance (avijja) means ignorance of stress, its origination, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation.

2. Conscience (hiri) means a healthy sense of shame derived from self-esteem at the idea of doing evil. Concern (ottappa) means fear of the consequences of doing evil.