Aṇguttara-Nikāya
II. Duka-Nipāta
I. Kamma-Karana Vagga

Sutta 9

The Bright Protectors

From: The Itivuttaka: The Buddha's Sayings,
translated from the Pali
by John D. Ireland
(Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1997).
Copyright © 1997 Buddhist Publication Society.

 

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[9][pts][than][olds][irel] "Bhikkhus, these two bright principles
protect the world.

What are the two?

Shame and fear of wrongdoing.

If, bhikkhus, these two bright principles
did not protect the world,
there would not be discerned respect
for mother or maternal aunt
or maternal uncle's wife
or a teacher's wife
or the wives of other honored persons,
and the world would have fallen into promiscuity,
as with goats, sheep, chickens, pigs, dogs, and jackals.

But as these two bright principles
protect the world,
there is discerned respect for mother...
and the wives of other honored persons."