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# Iti 40 · uttaka 40
- URL: https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/iti-40/
- Published: 2026-06-01T00:37:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-13T16:41:06.000Z
- Description: Itivuttaka · Iti 40. Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu.
- Author: Ninth Heaven Literature & Arts Association (NHLAA)
- Tags: Buddhism, Sutta Piṭaka, Text, Indian, The Buddha, Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Itivuttaka, Verse, Pali, Early Buddhist, Library, #Import 2026-07-06 03:33

*This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard:* “Monks, ignorance[1](https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Iti/iti40.html?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) precedes the arrival of unskillful qualities; lack of shame & lack of compunction[2](https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Iti/iti40.html?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) 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–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, desire, & greed,

a monk giving rise to clear knowing

would abandon all bad destinations.

Notes

1\. Ignorance *(avijjā)* means ignorance of stress, 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.

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*Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. © 2014 / rev. 2017 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu — released under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) licence, for free distribution only. Source: [dhammatalks.org](https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Iti/iti40.html?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) (Metta Forest Monastery).*