anottappa
Fearlessness of wrongdoing
[ ah-NOT-tup-pa ]
Seeing it in life
Anottappa is the lack of fear of the consequences of bad action; paired with ahirika in every akusala citta.
In short
Absence of moral dread of evil.
The analysis
Anottappa is the absence of fear regarding the consequences of unwholesome action — paired invariably with ahirika in every unwholesome citta. Where ahirika is the missing internal shame, anottappa is the missing dread of consequence. Both are uprooted only at arahantship.
Where it sits
Anottappa's opposite is ottappa, moral dread, one of the beautiful cetasikas paired with hiri as the two 'guardians of the world.'
Acting on a small dishonesty with no felt weight of consequence attached — not even a flicker of concern about what it might mean — is anottappa present alongside ahirika.
Commonly mistaken for
Courage or fearlessness in the positive sense. This is specifically the absence of a wholesome fear of wrong action, not bravery.
Recklessness as a visible trait. It's present in subtle unwholesome moments too, not only in dramatic risk-taking.
Abhidhammattha Saṅgaha II.
Related terms