ahirika
Shamelessness
[ ah-hee-REE-ka ]
Seeing it in life
Ahirika is the lack of inner shame that would restrain one from misdeeds; arises in every unwholesome citta.
In short
Absence of moral shame at evil conduct.
The analysis
Ahirika is the absence of inner shame that would otherwise restrain misconduct — not a positive force so much as a missing brake. It arises in every single unwholesome citta without exception, paired always with anottappa; the two are called 'the shameless pair.'
Where it sits
Ahirika's direct opposite is hiri, one of the beautiful cetasikas; hiri and ottappa together are called 'guardians of the world.'
The small, barely noticed absence of any inner check before sending a sharp reply — not active malice, just the missing restraint that would otherwise have paused it — is ahirika present in an ordinary, unremarkable way.
Commonly mistaken for
Deliberate shamelessness or a personality trait. It's a universal component of unwholesome cittas in general, present in mild lapses as much as serious ones.
The same as lacking social shame about reputation. This is about the absence of an internal moral check, not concern for appearance.
Abhidhammattha Saṅgaha II.
Related terms