Lokapala Sutta: The Bright Protectors/Guardians of the World
AN 2.9
Lokapala Sutta: The Bright Protectors
translated from the Pali by
John D. Ireland
"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."
AN 2.9
Lokapala Sutta: Guardians of the World
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
"Monks, these two bright qualities guard the world. Which two? Conscience & concern.[1] If these two bright qualities did not guard the world, there would be no recognition of 'mother' here, no recognition of 'mother's sister,' 'uncle's wife,' 'teacher's wife,' or 'wife of those who deserve respect.' The world would be immersed in promiscuity, like rams with goats, roosters with pigs, or dogs with jackals. But because these two bright qualities guard the world, there is recognition of 'mother,' 'mother's sister,' 'uncle's wife,' 'teacher's wife,' & 'wife of those who deserve respect.'"
Footnotes
- ↑ Concern for the results of unskillful actions.
Source
"Lokapala Sutta: The Bright Protectors" (AN 2.9), translated from the Pali by John D. Ireland. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 13 June 2010, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.009.irel.html .
"Lokapala Sutta: Guardians of the World" (AN 2.9), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 30 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.009.than.html .
