The Buddha presents pairs including freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, conscience and fear of wrongdoing, good friendship and being easy to admonish, and skill in elements, offenses, and their resolution.

AN 2.87-97 The Chapter on Two Things

87

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā. Katame dve? Cetovimutti ca paññāvimutti ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

88

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā. Katame dve? Paggāho ca avikkhepo ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

89

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā. Katame dve? Nāmañca rūpañca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

90

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā. Katame dve? Vijjā ca vimutti ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

91

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā. Katame dve? Bhavadiṭṭhi ca vibhavadiṭṭhi ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

92

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā. Katame dve? Ahirikañca anottappañca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

93

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā. Katame dve? Hirī ca ottappañca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

94

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā. Katame dve? Dovacassatā ca pāpamittatā ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

95

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā. Katame dve? Sovacassatā ca kalyāṇamittatā ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

96

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā. Katame dve? Dhātukusalatā ca manasikārakusalatā ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

97

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā. Katame dve? Āpattikusalatā ca āpattivuṭṭhānakusalatā ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

Dhammavaggo catuttho.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

2.87

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā.

“There are, mendicants, these two things.

Katame dve?

What two?

Cetovimutti ca paññāvimutti ca.

Freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

These are the two things.”

2.88

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā.

“There are, mendicants, these two things.

Katame dve?

What two?

Paggāho ca avikkhepo ca.

Exertion, and not being scattered.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

These are the two things.”

2.89

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā.

“There are, mendicants, these two things.

Katame dve?

What two?

Nāmañca rūpañca.

Name and form.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

These are the two things.”

2.90

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā.

“There are, mendicants, these two things.

Katame dve?

What two?

Vijjā ca vimutti ca.

Knowledge and freedom.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

These are the two things.”

2.91

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā.

“There are, mendicants, these two things.

Katame dve?

What two?

Bhavadiṭṭhi ca vibhavadiṭṭhi ca.

Views favoring existence and views favoring nonexistence.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

These are the two things.”

2.92

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā.

“There are, mendicants, these two things.

Katame dve?

What two?

Ahirikañca anottappañca.

Lack of conscience and prudence.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

These are the two things.”

2.93

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā.

“There are, mendicants, these two things.

Katame dve?

What two?

Hirī ca ottappañca.

Conscience and prudence.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

These are the two things.”

2.94

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā.

“There are, mendicants, these two things.

Katame dve?

What two?

Dovacassatā ca pāpamittatā ca.

Being hard to admonish and having bad friends.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

These are the two things.”

2.95

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā.

“There are, mendicants, these two things.

Katame dve?

What two?

Sovacassatā ca kalyāṇamittatā ca.

Being easy to admonish and having good friends.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

These are the two things.”

2.96

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā.

“There are, mendicants, these two things.

Katame dve?

What two?

Dhātukusalatā ca manasikārakusalatā ca.

Skill in the elements and skill in application of mind.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

These are the two things.”

2.97

“Dveme, bhikkhave, dhammā.

“There are, mendicants, these two things.

Katame dve?

What two?

Āpattikusalatā ca āpattivuṭṭhānakusalatā ca.

Skill in offenses and skill in resolving offenses.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve dhammā”ti.

These are the two things.”

Dhammavaggo catuttho.

Topics & Qualities:

Conscience

Conscience

An inner moral sensitivity that shrinks from wrongdoing out of self-respect and personal integrity. It is the voice within that knows what is beneath one's dignity, guarding conduct through an inward standard of honor.

Also known as: with sense of right and wrong, sense of shame, modesty, (comm) originating from inside
Pāli: hirī
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Fear of wrongdoing

Fear of wrongdoing

A wholesome dread of misconduct that considers consequences and the censure of the wise. It looks outward—aware of blame, loss of reputation, and the suffering that follows unskillful action—and holds the mind back from crossing ethical boundaries.

Also known as: conscientious, moral dread, respect for others, (comm) originating from outside
Pāli: ottappa
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Liberation

Liberation

Liberation can imply a temporary release of the mind, i.e. liberated from certain unwholesome mental qualities or complete liberation from all unwholesome qualities of the mind, i.e. Nibbāna.

Also known as: freedom, release, emancipation, deliverance
Pāli: vimutti, vimokkha, cetovimutti, paññāvimutti, akuppā cetovimutti
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Unwholesome

Unwholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of poor health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameworthy, unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, karmically unprofitable
Pāli: akusala
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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026