This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “There are these two things that cause remorse. Which two? There is the case of the person who has not done what is admirable, has not done what is skillful, has not given protection to those in fear, and instead has done what is evil, savage, & cruel. Thinking, ‘I have not done what is admirable,’ he feels remorse. Thinking, ‘I have done what is evil,’ he feels remorse. These are the two things that cause remorse.”
Having engaged in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, misconduct of mind,[1] or whatever else is flawed, not having done what is skillful, having done much that is not, at the break-up of the body, the undiscerning one reappears in hell.
Since I can’t seem to stop myself from unskillful behaviors, I should at least not entertain any delusions about where these repeated failures will take me. In the interim, may I never act haughtily or secretly think myself better than anyone else.
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 
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