Itivuttaka 40

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Adapted From the Translation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(Geoffrey DeGraff)

Compared with the Pali Tipitaka at www.tipitaka.org

40. Vijjasuttam (Knowing & Awareness)

This was said by the Lord Buddha(Bhagavata), said by the Arahant, so I have heard:

“Monks, Ignorance (Avijja)[1] precedes the arrival of unskillful qualities; lack of shame & lack of compunction[2] follow after. Clear knowing precedes the arrival of skillful qualities; shame & compunction follow after.”

Any bad destinations in this world, in the next, are rooted in Ignorance (Avijja)—all— accumulations of desire & greed. And when a person of evil desires lacks shame & respect, evil comes from that, and by that he goes to deprivation. So cleansing away Ignorance (Avijja), desire, & greed, a monk giving rise to clear knowing would abandon all bad destinations.

NOTES:

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

2. Shame (hiri) means a healthy sense of shame—derived from self-esteem—at the

idea of doing evil. Compunction (ottappa) means fear of the consequences of doing evil.