Thirukkural- On Virtue- Hypocrisy-Kural-276

There are no villains, worse than those who cheat the householder,And pretend renunciation without observing it inwardly.

Those, who are not ascetics at heart and pretend outwardly that they are what they are not, are the worst cheats one earth. The lord Jesus Christ denounced such hypocrites in no uncertain terms as 'whited sepulchres'. According to Valluvar, those who are not genuine in their renunciation, are the most dangerous people on earth. Hazlitt's remark that 'The only vice that cannot be forgiven is hypocrisy' is relevant in this context.