Bhayabherava sutta - Fright and Dread

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Blessed One was staying in Sāvatthi, at Jetavana, in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.

Then, the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One.

After exchanging greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side.

Seated to one side, the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi addressed the Blessed One:

Master Gotama, those offspring of a good family who have gone forth from the household life into homelessness out of faith in you, have you as their leader, have you as their benefactor, have you as their guide; and these people follow your lead.

So it is, brahmin, so it is, brahmin.

Those offspring of a good family who have gone forth from the household life into homelessness out of faith in me, I am their leader, I am their benefactor, I am their guide; and these people follow my lead.

For sure, Master Gotama, difficult to endure are the remote forest abodes, the lonely resting places in the wilderness, arduous to achieve is seclusion, challenging it is to delight in solitude; undoubtedly, the forests rob the mind of a disciple who has not attained concentration.

So it is, brahmin, so it is, brahmin.

Difficult to endure are the remote forest abodes, the lonely resting places in the wilderness, arduous to achieve is seclusion, challenging it is to delight in solitude; undoubtedly, the forests rob the mind of a disciple who has not attained concentration.

Even before my enlightenment, while still only an unenlightened Bodhisatta, this thought occurred to me: ‘Difficult to endure are the remote forest abodes, the lonely resting places in the wilderness, arduous to achieve is seclusion, challenging it is to delight in solitude; undoubtedly, the forests rob the mind of a disciple who has not attained concentration.

Then it occurred to me: ‘Whatever recluses or brahmins there may be who are impure in bodily conduct, they are the ones who inhabit the remote forest abodes, the lonely resting places in the wilderness, and due to the impurity of their bodily conduct, they indeed provoke unwholesome fear and dread.

But I do not dwell in those remote forest abodes, those lonely resting places in the wilderness with impure bodily conduct; I am pure in bodily conduct.

Among those of you who are noble and pure in bodily conduct who inhabit the remote forest abodes, the lonely resting places in the wilderness, I am considered one of them.

O Brahmin, attending myself with purified bodily actions, I further delighted in dwelling in the forest.

It occurred to me, Whatever recluses or Brahmins, who possess unpurified verbal actions...or who possess unpurified mental actions...or who subsist by unpure livelihood, dwell in the wilderness, remote and solitary places, they, indeed, owing to the fault of their unpure livelihood, invite unwholesome fear and dread.

But I do not subsist by an unpure livelihood; I am of pure livelihood.

Among those noble ones who live by pure livelihood and dwell in the wilderness, remote and solitary places, I am counted as one of them.

Attending my pure livelihood in myself, I further delighted in dwelling in the forest.

It occurred to me, Whatever recluses or Brahmins, who are covetous and possess intense greed for sensual pleasures, dwell in the wilderness, remote and solitary places, they, indeed, owing to the fault of their greed and intense greed for sensual pleasures, invite unwholesome fear and dread.

But I am not covetous or possess intense greed for sensual pleasures; I am free from greed.

Among those noble ones who are free from greed and dwell in the wilderness, remote and solitary places, I am counted as one of them.

Attending my freedom from greed in myself, I further delighted in dwelling in the forest.

It occurred to me, Whatever recluses or Brahmins, who are with a malevolent mind and have corrupt intentions, dwell in the wilderness, remote and solitary places, they, indeed, owing to the fault of their malevolent mind and corrupt intentions, invite unwholesome fear and dread.

But I do not have a malevolent mind or corrupt intentions; I am with a mind of goodwill.

Among those noble ones who have a mind of goodwill and dwell in the wilderness, remote and solitary places, I am counted as one of them.

Attending my mind of goodwill in myself, I further delighted in dwelling in the forest.

It occurred to me, ...

Whoever among the ascetics or brahmins are seized by sloth and drowsiness and frequent forested wilderness, remote lodgings, due to the fault of sloth and drowsiness, indeed those venerable ascetics and brahmins invite the unwholesome, fear, and terror.

However, I do not frequent the forested wilderness, remote lodgings seized by sloth and drowsiness; I am free from sloth and drowsiness.

Among those noble ones who have dispelled sloth and drowsiness and frequent forested wilderness, remote lodgings, I am one.

Seeing this freedom from sloth and drowsiness in myself, I increased my delight in dwelling in the forest.

It occurred to me, Whoever among the ascetics or brahmins are agitated, with an uncalmed mind, and frequent forested wilderness, remote lodgings, due to the fault of an agitated, uncalmed mind, indeed those venerable ascetics and brahmins invite the unwholesome, fear, and terror.

However, I do not frequent the forested wilderness, remote lodgings with an agitated, uncalmed mind; my mind is calmed.

Among those noble ones with calmed minds who frequent forested wilderness, remote lodgings, I am one.

Seeing this calmness of mind in myself, I increased my delight in dwelling in the forest.

It occurred to me, Whoever among the ascetics or brahmins are doubtful, uncertain, and frequent forested wilderness, remote lodgings, due to the fault of doubt and uncertainty, indeed those venerable ascetics and brahmins invite the unwholesome, fear, and terror.

However, I do not frequent the forested wilderness, remote lodgings with doubt and uncertainty; I am free from doubt.

Among those noble ones who are freed from doubt and frequent forested wilderness, remote lodgings, I am one.

Seeing this freedom from doubt in myself, I increased my delight in dwelling in the forest.

It occurred to me, Whoever among the ascetics or brahmins are self-praising, disparaging others, and frequent forested wilderness, remote lodgings, due to the fault of self-praise and disparaging others, indeed those venerable ascetics and brahmins invite the unwholesome, fear, and terror.

However, I do not frequent the forested wilderness, remote lodgings praising myself and disparaging others; I am neither self-praising nor disparaging of others.

Those noble ones among you, who do not praise themselves nor disparage others, who resort to secluded forest dwellings, I am one among them.

Seeing this absence of self-praise and disparagement in myself, I delighted even more in dwelling in the forest.

Then, O Brahmin, it occurred to me: Whoever among the recluses or Brahmins are timid and fearful by nature and resort to secluded forest dwellings, because of their timidity and fearful disposition, they inevitably call upon unwholesome fear and dread.

But I am not timid or fearful by nature; I resort to secluded forest dwellings without trepidation. I am fearless.

Those noble ones among you, who are fearless and resort to secluded forest dwellings, I am one among them.

Seeing this fearlessness in myself, I delighted even more in dwelling in the forest.

Then, O Brahmin, it occurred to me: Whoever among the recluses or Brahmins are desirous of gain, honor, and praise and resort to secluded forest dwellings, because of their desire for gain, honor, and praise, they inevitably call upon unwholesome fear and dread.

But I am not desirous of gain, honor, and praise; I resort to secluded forest dwellings without such desires. I am content with little.

Those noble ones among you, who are content with little and resort to secluded forest dwellings, I am one among them.

Seeing this contentment in myself, I delighted even more in dwelling in the forest.

Then, O Brahmin, it occurred to me: Whoever among the recluses or Brahmins are lazy and of weak effort and resort to secluded forest dwellings, because of their laziness and weak effort, they inevitably call upon unwholesome fear and dread.

But I am not lazy or of weak effort; I resort to secluded forest dwellings with determined effort. I am energetic.

Those noble ones among you, who are energetic and resort to secluded forest dwellings, I am one among them.

Seeing this energetic nature in myself, I delighted even more in dwelling in the forest.

Then, O Brahmin, it occurred to me:

Whatever disciples or brahmins are forgetful and lacking clear knowing, and dwell in forests, wilderness, and remote abodes, they, because of their carelessness and lack of mindfulness, bring about unwholesome fear and dread.

But I do not dwell in forests and remote abodes with forgetfulness and lack of clear knowing; I am endowed with mindfulness.

For those noble ones among you who abide in forests and remote abodes with established mindfulness, among them I am one.

Seeing in myself this quality of mindfulness, O brahmin, I delighted more in abiding in the forest.

Then it occurred to me, Whatever disciples or brahmins are uncollected and scattered in mind, and dwell in forests, wilderness, and remote abodes, due to their uncollected and scattered mind, they bring about unwholesome fear and dread.

But I do not dwell in forests and remote abodes with an uncollected or scattered mind; I am endowed with concentration.

Among those noble ones who are endowed with concentration and dwell in forests and remote abodes, I am one.

Seeing in myself this accomplishment of concentration, O brahmin, I delighted more in abiding in the forest.

Then it occurred to me, Whatever disciples or brahmins are of little wisdom and foolish, and dwell in forests, wilderness, and remote abodes, due to their lack of wisdom and foolishness, they bring about unwholesome fear and dread.

But I do not dwell in forests and remote abodes with little wisdom or foolishness; I am endowed with wisdom.

Among those noble ones who are endowed with wisdom and dwell in forests and remote abodes, I am one.

Seeing in myself this accomplishment of wisdom, O brahmin, I delighted more in abiding in the forest.

Sixteenfold this has been finished.

Then it occurred to me, What if on those nights well-known and observed:on the full moon, the new moon, and the eighth day of the fortnight:I were to dwell in such fearful and hair-raising forest shrines, tree shrines, or grove shrines, considering, Perhaps I might see fear and dread?

Indeed, O Brahmin, at a later time, on those nights that are recognized and marked:such as the fourteenth, fifteenth, and the eighth nights of the lunar fortnight:I dwell in such terrifying, hair-raising places as those forest shrines, woodland shrines, and tree shrines.

And while dwelling there, O Brahmin, a deer approaches, or a peacock knocks down a twig, or the wind rustles the fallen leaves. It occurs to me, Surely, that is the arrival of fear and dread.

Then it occurs to me, Why do I dwell always expecting fear?

Let me so dwell that, whatever fear and dread come to me, I shall overcome that fear and dread as it really is.

While walking back and forth, Brahmin, that fear and dread come upon me.

I do not stand still, nor sit down, nor lie down, but walking back and forth, I overcome that fear and dread.

As I stand, Brahmin, that fear and dread come upon me.

I do not walk, nor sit, nor lie down, but standing, I overcome that fear and dread.

As I sit, Brahmin, that fear and dread come upon me.

I do not lie down, nor stand, nor walk, but sitting, I overcome that fear and dread.

As I lie down, Brahmin, that fear and dread come upon me.

I do not sit, nor stand, nor walk, but lying down, I overcome that fear and dread.

There are, O Brahmin, some ascetics and Brahmins who perceive night as day and perceive day as night.

I say that these ascetics and Brahmins dwell in delusion.

However, O Brahmin, I perceive night as night, and I perceive day as day.

Whatever, O Brahmin, a speaker who speaks rightly would say, An awakened being has arisen in the world for the benefit of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of gods and humans, only in this way would such a speaker who speaks rightly speak.

Indeed, Brahmin, my energy was aroused and unwavering, mindfulness was established and not confused, the body was calm and untroubled, the mind was concentrated and unified.

Having thus detached myself from sensual pleasures and unwholesome states, I entered and dwelled in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by directed and sustained attention, born of seclusion, filled with pīti and bliss.

With the subsiding of directed and sustained attention, my mind attained internal tranquillity and oneness, free from directed and sustained attention, born of concentration, filled with pīti and bliss, I entered and dwelled in the second jhāna.

With the fading away of pīti, I remained equanimous and mindful, experiencing bliss with the body; to which the noble ones testify: ‘In equanimity and mindfulness purified, free from pain and pleasure, with the earlier cessation of joy and sorrow, I entered and dwelled in the fourth jhāna.

With my mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, free from defilements, pliant, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, I directed my mind to the knowing of the recollection of past lives. I recollected my many kinds of past lives, such as one birth, two births, three births, four births, five births, ten births, twenty births, thirty births, forty births, fifty births, a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many eons of contraction, many eons of expansion, many eons of contraction and expansion.

This was my first knowing, attained in the first watch of the night; ignorance was destroyed, knowing arose; darkness was destroyed, light arose, as happens in one who is diligent, ardent, and resolute.

With my mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, free from defilements, pliant, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, I directed my mind to the knowing of the passing away and reappearance of beings.

With the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, I saw beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, in accordance with their karma, I known the beings.

This was my second knowing, attained in the middle watch of the night; ignorance was destroyed, knowing arose; darkness was destroyed, light arose, as happens in one who is diligent, ardent, and resolute.

With the mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of impurities, malleable, workable, steady, and having attained imperturbability, I inclined it toward the knowing of the destruction of the taints.

I directly knew as it truly is: This is suffering, This is the origin of suffering, This is the cessation of suffering, This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.

I directly knew as it truly is: These are the taints, This is the origin of the taints, This is the cessation of the taints, This is the path leading to the cessation of the taints.

When, knowing and seeing thus, my mind was liberated from the taint of sense satisfaction, the taint of becoming, and the taint of ignorance, I realized, Liberation has been attained.

There was the knowing that, Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of existence.

In the last watch of the night, I attained the third knowing: ignorance was cleared away, knowing had arisen, darkness was dispelled, light arose just as it actually is for one who is diligent, ardent, and resolute.

Nonetheless, Brahmin, you might think, Even today, Gautama the recluse continues to abide with unspent passion, aversion, and delusion, hence he frequents such secluded forest and wilderness dwellings.

This is not how it should be regarded, Brahmin.

Seeing two benefits, I frequent such secluded forest and wilderness dwellings:

out of compassion for future generations, and to maintain an immediate ease of abiding.

Truly, indeed, the last generation has been compassionately perceived by the holy Gotama, just as is fitting for an enlightened and awakened one.

It is wonderful, Master Gotama.

It is marvelous, Master Gotama.

Just as if one were to set upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to point the way to one who is lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, so has the Dhamma been declared by Master Gotama in many ways.

I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha.

May Master Gotama consider me a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forth, for life.

Thus ends the discourse on fear and dread.