[444] **The warding off of instances of remorse (kukkuccānaṃ nivāraṇaṃ).** Herein, "of instances of remorse": fidgeting of the hands (hatthakukkucca) is remorse (kukkucca); fidgeting of the feet is remorse; fidgeting of the hands and feet is remorse; the perception of what is unallowable (akappiya) as allowable, the perception of what is allowable (kappiya) as unallowable, the perception of what is blameworthy as blameless, the perception of what is blameless as blameworthy — whatever remorse of such a kind there is, the act of being remorseful, the state of being remorseful, regret of mind (cetaso vippaṭisāra), perplexity of mind (manovilekha): this is called remorse.
Moreover, remorse — regret of mind, perplexity of mind — arises from two causes: from what has been done and from what has been left undone. How does remorse — regret of mind, perplexity of mind — arise from what has been done and from what has been left undone? Thinking, "I have done misconduct by body; I have not done good conduct by body," remorse arises — regret of mind, perplexity of mind. Thinking, "I have done misconduct by speech; I have not done good conduct by speech"; "I have done misconduct by mind; I have not done good conduct by mind"; "I have committed the destruction of life; I have not practiced abstention from the destruction of life"; "I have committed the taking of what is not given; I have not practiced abstention from taking what is not given"; "I have committed sexual misconduct; I have not practiced abstention from sexual misconduct"; "I have committed false speech; I have not practiced abstention from false speech"; "I have committed divisive speech; I have not practiced abstention from divisive speech"; "I have committed harsh speech; I have not practiced abstention from harsh speech"; "I have committed frivolous talk; I have not practiced abstention from frivolous talk"; "I have engaged in covetousness; I have not engaged in non-covetousness"; "I have engaged in ill will; I have not engaged in non-ill-will"; "I have held wrong view; I have not held right view" — remorse arises: regret of mind, perplexity of mind. Thus remorse — regret of mind, perplexity of mind — arises from what has been done and from what has been left undone.
Or else, thinking, "I have not fulfilled the virtues," remorse arises — regret of mind, perplexity of mind. Thinking, "I am unguarded in the doors of the sense faculties"; "I know no moderation in eating"; "I am not devoted to wakefulness"; "I am not endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension"; "I have not developed the four establishments of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna)"; "I have not developed the four right strivings (sammappadhāna)"; "I have not developed the four bases of spiritual power (iddhipāda)"; "I have not developed the five faculties"; "I have not developed the five powers"; "I have not developed the seven factors of awakening (bojjhaṅga)"; "I have not developed the noble eightfold path"; "I have not fully understood suffering (dukkha)"; "I have not abandoned the origin"; "I have not developed the path"; "I have not realized cessation" — remorse arises: regret of mind, perplexity of mind.
**The warding off of instances of remorse**: the obstruction, the warding off, the abandoning, the stilling, the relinquishment, the tranquillization of instances of remorse — the Deathless, Nibbāna: thus, "the warding off of instances of remorse." Therefore the Blessed One said:
"The abandoning of both sensual desire
("Udaya," said the Blessed One,)
and grief,
the dispelling of dullness,
the warding off of remorse."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.