MN4: Bhayabherava Sutta - Fear and Dread
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
mn4:2.1Then the brahmin Jānussoṇi went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.We meet Jānussoṇi many times in the suttas, where he converses with the Buddha on a number of topics, with a special interest in the afterlife. His name appears in Sanskrit as Jānaśruti or Jānaśruteya, which are patronymics of Janaśruti, “famed among the people”, with the element soṇi coming from the Vedic ṣvaṇi (“sound”). The Chinese rendering 生聞 (“Born Famous”, T 125.2.665b18) evidently assumes the same derivation (jana “people” is from √jan “born”). The Pali commentary says it is a title awarded the family priest (purohita) of Kosala, which would make him one of the most powerful brahmins alive. However, I can find no confirmation of such a title, whereas the use of Jānaśruti as a patronymic by the descendants of Janaśruti is well attested.
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:
mn4:2.3“Mister Gotama, those gentlemen who, out of faith in you, have gone forth from the lay life to homelessness have you to lead the way, help them out, and give them encouragement.This statement is sometimes translated as a question, but it lacks the usual question markers. Jānussoṇi first says that living in the forest is hard, then introduces the idea that the Buddha is their guide, following which the Buddha tells his life story. This makes for a better flow of ideas. And those people follow the worthy Gotama’s example.”Picking up from the previous sutta the themes of following the Buddha’s example and of seclusion.
In diṭṭhānugatiṁ, read diṭṭha (“what has been seen”, i.e. “example”), rather than diṭṭhi (“view”) per commentary.
mn4:2.5“That’s so true, brahmin! Everything you say is true, brahmin!”
mn4:2.8“But worthy Gotama, remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest are challenging. It’s hard to maintain seclusion and hard to find joy in solitude. The forests seem to rob the mind of a mendicant who isn’t immersed in samādhi.”
mn4:2.10“That’s so true, brahmin! Everything you say is true, brahmin!
mn4:3.1Before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I too thought,This is the first of several times in the Majjhimanikāya that the Buddha spoke of his meditation before enlightenment (see eg. MN19, MN128). In these texts the Buddha takes pains to depict himself as an ordinary person who struggled with the same issues in meditation as anyone else.
“Intent on awakening” is bodhisatta (Sanskrit bodhisattva). Such passages as this are apparently the original context for this term. The Pali satta represents a number of different words in Sanskrit, including sajjita (“intent on, devoted to, fixed upon”), which makes better sense here than sattva (“being”). ‘Remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest are challenging. It’s hard to maintain seclusion and hard to find joy in solitude. The forests seem to rob the mind of a mendicant who isn’t immersed in samādhi.’
mn4:4.1Then I thought, ‘There are ascetics and brahmins with unpurified conduct of body, speech, and mind who frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest. Those ascetics and brahmins summon unskillful fear and dread because of these defects in their conduct.That is, their guilt will manifest as fear. Throughout this sutta, the Buddha emphasizes that fear is overcome by the proper development of the path, which leads to confidence and strength of mind. This is in implicit contrast to the notion that one overcomes fear by either brute endurance and force of will or by magical spells and charms. But I don’t frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest with unpurified conduct of body, speech, and mind. My conduct is purified. I am one of those noble ones who frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest with purified conduct of body, speech, and mind.’ Seeing this purity of conduct in myself I felt even more unruffled about staying in the forest.“Unruffled” is pallomamāpādiṁ.
mn4:5.1Then I thought, ‘There are ascetics and brahmins with unpurified livelihood who frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest. Those ascetics and brahmins summon unskillful fear and dread because of these defects in their livelihood. But I don’t frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest with unpurified livelihood. My livelihood is purified. I am one of those noble ones who frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest with purified livelihood.’The purification of livelihood for an ascetic is spelled out in detail in DN2:56.1 as part of the Gradual Training of a Buddhist mendicant. The current sutta can, in fact, be read as a variant presentation of the Gradual Training. Seeing this purity of livelihood in myself I felt even more unruffled about staying in the forest.
mn4:8.1Then I thought, ‘There are ascetics and brahmins full of desire for sensual pleasures, with acute lust … I am not full of desire …’
mn4:9.1‘There are ascetics and brahmins full of ill will, with malicious intentions … I have a heart full of love …’
mn4:10.1‘There are ascetics and brahmins overcome with dullness and drowsiness … I am free of dullness and drowsiness …’
mn4:11.1‘There are ascetics and brahmins who are restless, with no peace of mind … My mind is peaceful …’
mn4:12.1‘There are ascetics and brahmins who are doubting and uncertain … I’ve gone beyond doubt …’
mn4:13.1‘There are ascetics and brahmins who glorify themselves and put others down … I don’t glorify myself and put others down …’
mn4:14.1‘There are ascetics and brahmins who are cowardly and craven … I don’t get startled …’
mn4:15.1‘There are ascetics and brahmins who enjoy possessions, honor, and popularity … I have few wishes …’
mn4:16.1‘There are ascetics and brahmins who are lazy and lack energy … I am energetic …’
mn4:17.1‘There are ascetics and brahmins who are unmindful and lack situational awareness … I am mindful …’
mn4:18.1‘There are ascetics and brahmins who lack immersion, with straying minds …“Straying minds” is vibbhantacittā. The verbal form vibhamati is used of a monastic who disrobes. I am accomplished in immersion …’
mn4:19.1‘There are ascetics and brahmins who are witless and idiotic who frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest. Those ascetics and brahmins summon unskillful fear and dread because of the defects of witlessness and stupidity. But I don’t frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest witless and idiotic. I am accomplished in wisdom. I am one of those noble ones who frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest accomplished in wisdom.’ Seeing this accomplishment of wisdom in myself I felt even more unruffled about staying in the forest.
mn4:20.1Then I thought, ‘There are certain nights that are recognized as specially portentous: the fourteenth, fifteenth, and eighth of the fortnight.These are the days of uposatha (“sabbath”) marking the lunar cycle. On such nights, why don’t I stay in awe-inspiring and hair-raising shrines in parks, forests, and trees? In such lodgings, hopefully I might see that fear and dread.’ Some time later, that’s what I did.
As I was staying there a deer came by, or a peacock snapped a twig, or the wind rustled the leaves. Then I thought, ‘Is this that fear and dread coming?’The dual feelings of love for wilderness and fear of her (possibly imagined) dangers echo the hymn to Araṇyānī, the wilderness as goddess, at Rig Veda 10.146. Then I thought, ‘Why do I always meditate expecting that fear to come? Why don’t I get rid of that fear and dread just as it comes, while remaining just as I am?’ Then that fear and dread came upon me as I was walking. I didn’t stand still or sit down or lie down until I had got rid of that fear and dread while walking. Then that fear and dread came upon me as I was standing. I didn’t walk or sit down or lie down until I had got rid of that fear and dread while standing. Then that fear and dread came upon me as I was sitting. I didn’t lie down or stand still or walk until I had got rid of that fear and dread while sitting. Then that fear and dread came upon me as I was lying down. I didn’t sit up or stand still or walk until I had got rid of that fear and dread while lying down.
mn4:21.1There are some ascetics and brahmins who perceive that it’s day when in fact it’s night, or perceive that it’s night when in fact it’s day.The Buddha illustrates his claim that the forests can rob the mind of a meditator without samādhi. During the development of meditation, perception can change in strange and unsettling ways, making the meditator question the nature of reality. In some cases, over-exertion in meditation can indeed lead to mental breakdown. This meditation of theirs is delusional, I say. I perceive that it’s night when in fact it is night, and perceive that it’s day when in fact it is day.This alludes to the oft-repeated phrase “as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day”, which is associated with the meditative perception of light (AN4.41), the development of the bases of psychic power (SN51.11), and the dispelling of drowsiness (AN7.61:7.2). The point of that phrase is that the mind has been developed until it is full of light regardless of whether it is light or dark outside. Here, the Buddha forestalls the accusation that this is deluded: he knows perfectly well what is day and what is night. And if there’s anyone of whom it may be rightly said that a being not liable to delusion has arisen in the world for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of sympathy for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans, it’s of me that this should be said.
mn4:22-26.1My energy was roused up and unflagging, my mindfulness was established and lucid, my body was tranquil and undisturbed, and my mind was immersed in samādhi and unified.To this point, the sutta has been focusing on the foundations of meditation from the special perspective of overcoming fear. Now that this has been achieved, it returns to the standard presentation of immersion and then wisdom. Taken together, then, it is the first presentation of the Gradual Training in the Majjhima Nikāya.
“Unified” (ekagga) is explained in the Pali commentaries as “rightly positioned, well placed”, suggesting agga here is contracted agāra (“place”). This is supported by the Chinese 境 here, which means “place”. However, the Sanskrit form ekāgra suggests, rather, the sense agra (“peak”).
Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I entered and remained in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.Jhāna is a state of “elevated consciousness” (adhicitta), so all the terms have an elevated sense. The plural form indicates that “sensual pleasures” includes sense experience, which the meditator can turn away from since they no longer have any desire for it. The “unskillful qualities” are the five hindrances. The “rapture and bliss born of seclusion” is the happiness of abandoning the hindrances and freedom from sense impingement. “Placing the mind and keeping it connected” (vitakka, vicāra) uses terms that mean “thought” in coarse consciousness, but which in “elevated consciousness” refer to the subtle function of applying the mind to the meditation.
As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected were stilled, I entered and remained in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected.Each jhāna begins as the least refined aspect of the previous jhāna ends. This is not consciously directed, but describes the natural process of settling. The meditator is now fully confident and no longer needs to apply their mind: it is simply still and fully unified.
And with the fading away of rapture, I entered and remained in the third absorption, where I meditated with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’The emotional response to bliss matures from the subtle thrill of rapture to the poise of equanimity. Mindfulness is present in all states of deep meditation, but with equanimity it becomes prominent.
With the giving up of pleasure and pain, and the ending of former happiness and sadness, I entered and remained in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.The emotional poise of equanimity leads to the feeling of pleasure settling into the more subtle neutral feeling. Pain and sadness have been abandoned long before, but are emphasized here as they are subtle counterpart of pleasure.
mn4:27.1When my mind had become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward recollection of past lives. I recollected many kinds of past lives.The equanimity of the fourth jhāna is not dullness and indifference, but a brilliant and radiant awareness. The fourth jhāna is the ideal basis for developing higher knowledges, although elsewhere the canon shows that even the first jhāna can be a basis for liberating insight. Without jhāna, however, the eightfold path is incomplete and liberating insight is impossible. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. I remembered: ‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so I recollected my many kinds of past lives, with features and details.Empowered by the fourth jhāna, memory breaks through the veil of birth and death, revealing the vast expanse of time and dispelling the illusion that there is any place of eternal rest or sanctuary in the cycle of transmigration. The knowledge of these events is not hazy or murky, but clear and precise, illuminated by the brilliance of purified consciousness.
mn4:28.1This was the first knowledge, which I achieved in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute.
mn4:29.1When my mind had become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings. With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I saw sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. I understood how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds: ‘These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They denounced the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they chose to act out of that wrong view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never denounced the noble ones; they had right view; and they chose to act out of that right view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.’ And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I saw sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. I understood how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds.Here knowledge extends to the rebirths of others as well as oneself. Even more significant, it brings in the understanding of cause and effect; why rebirth happens the way it does. Such knowledge, however, is not infallible, as the Buddha warns in MN136. The experience is one thing; the inferences drawn from it are another. One should draw conclusions only tentatively, after long experience.
“Clairvoyance” renders dibbacakkhu (“celestial eye”), for which see Chāndogya Upaniṣad 8.12.5, which says of the self that “the mind is its celestial eye” (mano’sya daivaṁ cakṣuḥ).
mn4:30.1This was the second knowledge, which I achieved in the middle watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute.
mn4:31.1When my mind had become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements.This is the experience of awakening that is the true goal of the Buddhist path. The defilements—properties of the mind that create suffering—have been curbed by the practice of ethics and suppressed by the power of jhāna. Here they are eliminated forever. I truly understood: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’.These are the four noble truths, which form the main content of the Buddha’s first sermon. They are the overarching principle into which all other teachings fall. As established in MN2, seeing the four noble truths indicates stream-entry, while the ending of all defilements indicates arahantship. I truly understood: ‘These are defilements’ … ‘This is the origin of defilements’ … ‘This is the cessation of defilements’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of defilements’.The application of the four noble truths to defilements indicates that this is the final stage of awakening, perfection (or “arahantship”, arahatta).
Many translators use “defilement” to render kilesa, but since kilesa appears only rarely in the early texts, I use “defilement” for āsava. Both terms refer to a stain, corruption, or pollution in the mind.
mn4:32.1Knowing and seeing like this, my mind was freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance.Bhavāsava is the defilement that craves to continue life in a new birth. When it was freed, I knew it was freed.This is a reflective awareness of the fact of awakening. The meditator reviews their mind and sees that it is free from all forces that lead to suffering.
mn4:32.3I understood: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”This is a standard declaration of full awakening in the suttas, said both of the Buddha and of any arahant (“perfected one”). Each of the four phrases illustrates a cardinal principle of awakening. (1) Further transmigration through rebirths has come to an end due to the exhaustion (khīṇa) of that which propels rebirth, namely deeds motivated by craving. (2) The eightfold path has been developed fully in all respects. (3) All functions relating to the four noble truths have been completed, namely: understanding suffering, letting go craving, witnessing extinguishment, and developing the path. (4) Extinguishment is final, with no falling back to this or any other state of existence.
mn4:33.1This was the third knowledge, which I achieved in the final watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute.
mn4:34.1Brahmin, you might think: ‘Perhaps the ascetic Gotama is not free of greed, hate, and delusion even today, and that is why he still frequents remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest.’ But you should not see it like this. I see two reasons to frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest. I see happiness for myself in this life, and I have sympathy for future generations.”Also at AN2.30. The Buddha confirms Jānussoṇi’s belief that he acts to set a good example for others.
mn4:35.1“Indeed, worthy Gotama has sympathy for future generations, since he is a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent, worthy Gotama! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, worthy Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha.Jānussoṇi goes for refuge so often in the suttas that it is almost a genre unto itself (MN27, SN12:47, AN2.17, AN3:55, AN3:59, AN4:184, AN6:52, AN7:47, AN10:119, AN10:167, AN10:177). Such narrative accounts of conversion or enlightenment at the end of discourses are not very reliable, as they are not the Buddha’s words but were added by editors at some point. From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
Atha kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.
Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
"yeme, bho gotama, kulaputtā bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ uddissa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitā, bhavaṁ tesaṁ gotamo pubbaṅgamo, bhavaṁ tesaṁ gotamo bahukāro, bhavaṁ tesaṁ gotamo samādapetā; bhoto ca pana gotamassa sā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjatī"ti.
"Evametaṁ, brāhmaṇa, evametaṁ, brāhmaṇa. Ye te, brāhmaṇa, kulaputtā mamaṁ uddissa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitā, ahaṁ tesaṁ pubbaṅgamo, ahaṁ tesaṁ bahukāro, ahaṁ tesaṁ samādapetā; mama ca pana sā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjatī"ti.
"Durabhisambhavāni hi kho, bho gotama, araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni, dukkaraṁ pavivekaṁ, durabhiramaṁ ekatte, haranti maññe mano vanāni samādhiṁ alabhamānassa bhikkhuno"ti.
"Evametaṁ, brāhmaṇa, evametaṁ, brāhmaṇa. Durabhisambhavāni hi kho, brāhmaṇa, araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni, dukkaraṁ pavivekaṁ, durabhiramaṁ ekatte, haranti maññe mano vanāni samādhiṁ alabhamānassa bhikkhuno.
2Mayhampi kho, brāhmaṇa, pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi: ‘durabhisambhavāni hi kho araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni, dukkaraṁ pavivekaṁ, durabhiramaṁ ekatte, haranti maññe mano vanāni samādhiṁ alabhamānassa bhikkhuno’ti.
Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā aparisuddha-kāyakammantā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, aparisuddha-kāyakammanta-sandosahetu have te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā akusalaṁ bhayabheravaṁ avhāyanti. Na kho panāhaṁ aparisuddha-kāyakammanto araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi; parisuddhakāyakammantohamasmi. Ye hi vo ariyā parisuddhakāyakammantā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti tesamahaṁ aññataro’ti. Etamahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, parisuddhakāyakammataṁ attani sampassamāno bhiyyo pallomamāpādiṁ araññe vihārāya. (1)
3Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā aparisuddhavacīkammantā … pe … aparisuddhamanokammantā … pe … aparisuddhājīvā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, aparisuddhājīvasandosahetu have te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā akusalaṁ bhayabheravaṁ avhāyanti. Na kho panāhaṁ aparisuddhājīvo araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi; parisuddhājīvohamasmi. Ye hi vo ariyā parisuddhājīvā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti tesamahaṁ aññataro’ti. Etamahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, parisuddhājīvataṁ attani sampassamāno bhiyyo pallomamāpādiṁ araññe vihārāya. (2–4.)
4Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā abhijjhālū kāmesu tibbasārāgā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, abhijjhālukāmesutibbasārāgasandosahetu have te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā akusalaṁ bhayabheravaṁ avhāyanti. Na kho panāhaṁ abhijjhālu kāmesu tibbasārāgo araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi; anabhijjhālūhamasmi. Ye hi vo ariyā anabhijjhālū araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, tesamahaṁ aññataro’ti. Etamahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anabhijjhālutaṁ attani sampassamāno bhiyyo pallomamāpādiṁ araññe vihārāya. (5)
5Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā byāpannacittā paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, byāpannacittapaduṭṭhamanasaṅkappasandosahetu have te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā akusalaṁ bhayabheravaṁ avhāyanti. Na kho panāhaṁ byāpannacitto paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi; mettacittohamasmi. Ye hi vo ariyā mettacittā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti tesamahaṁ aññataro’ti. Etamahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, mettacittataṁ attani sampassamāno bhiyyo pallomamāpādiṁ araññe vihārāya. (6)
6Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhitā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhānasandosahetu have te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā akusalaṁ bhayabheravaṁ avhāyanti. Na kho panāhaṁ thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhito araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi; vigatathinamiddhohamasmi. Ye hi vo ariyā vigatathinamiddhā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti tesamahaṁ aññataro’ti. Etamahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vigatathinamiddhataṁ attani sampassamāno bhiyyo pallomamāpādiṁ araññe vihārāya. (7)
7Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā uddhatā avūpasantacittā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, uddhataavūpasantacittasandosahetu have te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā akusalaṁ bhayabheravaṁ avhāyanti. Na kho panāhaṁ uddhato avūpasantacitto araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi; vūpasantacittohamasmi. Ye hi vo ariyā vūpasantacittā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, tesamahaṁ aññataro’ti. Etamahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vūpasantacittataṁ attani sampassamāno bhiyyo pallomamāpādiṁ araññe vihārāya. (8)
8Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā kaṅkhī vicikicchī araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, kaṅkhīvicikicchisandosahetu have te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā akusalaṁ bhayabheravaṁ avhāyanti. Na kho panāhaṁ kaṅkhī vicikicchī araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi; tiṇṇavicikicchohamasmi. Ye hi vo ariyā tiṇṇavicikicchā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti tesamahaṁ aññataro’ti. Etamahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, tiṇṇavicikicchataṁ attani sampassamāno bhiyyo pallomamāpādiṁ araññe vihārāya. (9)
9Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā attukkaṁsakā paravambhī araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, attukkaṁsanaparavambhanasandosahetu have te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā akusalaṁ bhayabheravaṁ avhāyanti. Na kho panāhaṁ attukkaṁsako paravambhī araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi; anattukkaṁsako aparavambhīhamasmi. Ye hi vo ariyā anattukkaṁsakā aparavambhī araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti tesamahaṁ aññataro’ti. Etamahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anattukkaṁsakataṁ aparavambhitaṁ attani sampassamāno bhiyyo pallomamāpādiṁ araññe vihārāya. (10)
10Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā chambhī bhīrukajātikā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, chambhibhīrukajātikasandosahetu have te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā akusalaṁ bhayabheravaṁ avhāyanti. Na kho panāhaṁ chambhī bhīrukajātiko araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi; vigatalomahaṁsohamasmi. Ye hi vo ariyā vigatalomahaṁsā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti tesamahaṁ aññataro’ti. Etamahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vigatalomahaṁsataṁ attani sampassamāno bhiyyo pallomamāpādiṁ araññe vihārāya. (11)
11Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā lābhasakkārasilokaṁ nikāmayamānā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, lābhasakkārasilokanikāmanasandosahetu have te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā akusalaṁ bhayabheravaṁ avhāyanti. Na kho panāhaṁ lābhasakkārasilokaṁ nikāmayamāno araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi; appicchohamasmi. Ye hi vo ariyā appicchā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti tesamahaṁ aññataro’ti. Etamahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, appicchataṁ attani sampassamāno bhiyyo pallomamāpādiṁ araññe vihārāya. (12)
12Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā kusītā hīnavīriyā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, kusītahīnavīriyasandosahetu have te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā akusalaṁ bhayabheravaṁ avhāyanti. Na kho panāhaṁ kusīto hīnavīriyo araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi; āraddhavīriyohamasmi. Ye hi vo ariyā āraddhavīriyā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti tesamahaṁ aññataro’ti. Etamahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, āraddhavīriyataṁ attani sampassamāno bhiyyo pallomamāpādiṁ araññe vihārāya. (13)
13Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā muṭṭhassatī asampajānā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, muṭṭhassatiasampajānasandosahetu have te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā akusalaṁ bhayabheravaṁ avhāyanti. Na kho panāhaṁ muṭṭhassati asampajāno araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi; upaṭṭhitassatihamasmi. Ye hi vo ariyā upaṭṭhitassatī araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti tesamahaṁ aññataro’ti. Etamahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, upaṭṭhitassatitaṁ attani sampassamāno bhiyyo pallomamāpādiṁ araññe vihārāya. (14)
14Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā asamāhitā vibbhantacittā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, asamāhitavibbhantacittasandosahetu have te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā akusalaṁ bhayabheravaṁ avhāyanti. Na kho panāhaṁ asamāhito vibbhantacitto araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi; samādhisampannohamasmi. Ye hi vo ariyā samādhisampannā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti tesamahaṁ aññataro’ti. Etamahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, samādhisampadaṁ attani sampassamāno bhiyyo pallomamāpādiṁ araññe vihārāya. (15)
15Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā duppaññā eḷamūgā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, duppaññaeḷamūgasandosahetu have te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā akusalaṁ bhayabheravaṁ avhāyanti. Na kho panāhaṁ duppañño eḷamūgo araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi; paññāsampannohamasmi. Ye hi vo ariyā paññāsampannā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti tesamahaṁ aññataro’ti. Etamahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, paññāsampadaṁ attani sampassamāno bhiyyo pallomamāpādiṁ araññe vihārāya. (16)
Soḷasapariyāyaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.
16Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘yannūnāhaṁ yā tā rattiyo abhiññātā abhilakkhitā — cātuddasī pañcadasī aṭṭhamī ca pakkhassa — tathārūpāsu rattīsu yāni tāni ārāmacetiyāni vanacetiyāni rukkhacetiyāni bhiṁsanakāni salomahaṁsāni tathārūpesu senāsanesu vihareyyaṁ appeva nāmāhaṁ bhayabheravaṁ passeyyan’ti. So kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, aparena samayena yā tā rattiyo abhiññātā abhilakkhitā – cātuddasī pañcadasī aṭṭhamī ca pakkhassa — tathārūpāsu rattīsu yāni tāni ārāmacetiyāni vanacetiyāni rukkhacetiyāni bhiṁsanakāni salomahaṁsāni tathārūpesu senāsanesu viharāmi. Tattha ca me, brāhmaṇa, viharato mago vā āgacchati, moro vā kaṭṭhaṁ pāteti, vāto vā paṇṇakasaṭaṁ ereti; tassa mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa etadahosi: ‘etaṁ nūna taṁ bhayabheravaṁ āgacchatī’ti. Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: ‘kiṁ nu kho ahaṁ aññadatthu bhayapaṭikaṅkhī viharāmi? Yannūnāhaṁ yathābhūtaṁ yathābhūtassa me taṁ bhayabheravaṁ āgacchati, tathābhūtaṁ tathābhūtova taṁ bhayabheravaṁ paṭivineyyan’ti.
Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, caṅkamantassa taṁ bhayabheravaṁ āgacchati. So kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, neva tāva tiṭṭhāmi na nisīdāmi na nipajjāmi, yāva caṅkamantova taṁ bhayabheravaṁ paṭivinemi. Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, ṭhitassa taṁ bhayabheravaṁ āgacchati. So kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, neva tāva caṅkamāmi na nisīdāmi na nipajjāmi. Yāva ṭhitova taṁ bhayabheravaṁ paṭivinemi. Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, nisinnassa taṁ bhayabheravaṁ āgacchati. So kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, neva tāva nipajjāmi na tiṭṭhāmi na caṅkamāmi, yāva nisinnova taṁ bhayabheravaṁ paṭivinemi. Tassa mayhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, nipannassa taṁ bhayabheravaṁ āgacchati. So kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, neva tāva nisīdāmi na tiṭṭhāmi na caṅkamāmi, yāva nipannova taṁ bhayabheravaṁ paṭivinemi.
17Santi kho pana, brāhmaṇa, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā rattiṁyeva samānaṁ divāti sañjānanti, divāyeva samānaṁ rattīti sañjānanti. Idamahaṁ tesaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ sammohavihārasmiṁ vadāmi. Ahaṁ kho pana, brāhmaṇa, rattiṁyeva samānaṁ rattīti sañjānāmi, divāyeva samānaṁ divāti sañjānāmi. Yaṁ kho taṁ, brāhmaṇa, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘asammohadhammo satto loke uppanno bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānan’ti, mameva taṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘asammohadhammo satto loke uppanno bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānan’ti.
18Āraddhaṁ kho pana me, brāhmaṇa, vīriyaṁ ahosi asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggaṁ.
So kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihāsiṁ.
Vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihāsiṁ.
Pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca vihāsiṁ, sato ca sampajāno sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedesiṁ; yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihāsiṁ.
Sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihāsiṁ.
19So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmesiṁ. So anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarāmi, seyyathidaṁ — ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo tissopi jātiyo catassopi jātiyo pañcapi jātiyo dasapi jātiyo vīsampi jātiyo tiṁsampi jātiyo cattālīsampi jātiyo paññāsampi jātiyo jātisatampi jātisahassampi jātisatasahassampi anekepi saṁvaṭṭakappe anekepi vivaṭṭakappe anekepi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe: ‘amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno’ti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarāmi.
Ayaṁ kho me, brāhmaṇa, rattiyā paṭhame yāme paṭhamā vijjā adhigatā, avijjā vihatā vijjā uppannā, tamo vihato āloko uppanno, yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato.
20So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte sattānaṁ cutūpapātañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmesiṁ. So dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passāmi cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānāmi: ‘ime vata bhonto sattā kāyaduccaritena samannāgatā vacīduccaritena samannāgatā manoduccaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṁ upavādakā micchādiṭṭhikā micchādiṭṭhikammasamādānā; te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapannā. Ime vā pana bhonto sattā kāyasucaritena samannāgatā vacīsucaritena samannāgatā manosucaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṁ anupavādakā sammādiṭṭhikā sammādiṭṭhikammasamādānā; te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapannā’ti. Iti dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passāmi cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānāmi.
Ayaṁ kho me, brāhmaṇa, rattiyā majjhime yāme dutiyā vijjā adhigatā, avijjā vihatā vijjā uppannā, tamo vihato āloko uppanno, yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato.
21So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte āsavānaṁ khayañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmesiṁ. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘Ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ. ‘Ime āsavā’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘Ayaṁ āsavasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘Ayaṁ āsavanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘Ayaṁ āsavanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ.
Tassa me evaṁ jānato evaṁ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccittha, bhavāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccittha, avijjāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccittha. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ ahosi.
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti abbhaññāsiṁ.
Ayaṁ kho me, brāhmaṇa, rattiyā pacchime yāme tatiyā vijjā adhigatā, avijjā vihatā vijjā uppannā, tamo vihato āloko uppanno, yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato.
22Siyā kho pana te, brāhmaṇa, evamassa: ‘ajjāpi nūna samaṇo gotamo avītarāgo avītadoso avītamoho, tasmā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevatī’ti. Na kho panetaṁ, brāhmaṇa, evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. Dve kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, atthavase sampassamāno araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi — attano ca diṭṭhadhammasukhavihāraṁ sampassamāno, pacchimañca janataṁ anukampamāno"ti.
23"Anukampitarūpā vatāyaṁ bhotā gotamena pacchimā janatā, yathā taṁ arahatā sammāsambuddhena. Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama. Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama. Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.
Bhayabheravasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.