MN 4 – MN 4 Bhaya-bherava: Fear and Terror
MN 4.3 - (all the reasons Buddha doesn’t have fear living in wilderness)
MN 4.4 - (Buddha picked days of the month especially fearful to test himself)
MN 4.5 - (seven
7sb☀️ awakening factor sequence activated)
MN 4.6 - (STED four jhāna formula = samādhi awakening factor)
MN 4.7 - (imperturbable version of 4th jhāna = upekkha awakening factor)
MN 4.8 - (using that samādhi realize the te-vijja 3 higher knowledges)
MN 4.9 - (Brahmin wonders if Gotama is not free of defilements since he still frequents wilderness )
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(derived from B. Sujato 2018/12) |
Evaṃ me sutaṃ— |
So I have heard. |
ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. |
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. |
Atha kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṃ sammodi. |
Then the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. |
Sammodanīyaṃ kathaṃ sāraṇīyaṃ vītisāretvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi. Ekamantaṃ nisinno kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṃ etadavoca: |
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha: |
“yeme, bho gotama, kulaputtā bhavantaṃ gotamaṃ uddissa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṃ pabbajitā, bhavaṃ tesaṃ gotamo pubbaṅgamo, bhavaṃ tesaṃ gotamo bahukāro, bhavaṃ tesaṃ gotamo samādapetā; |
“Master Gotama, those members of good families who have gone forth from the lay life to homelessness out of justifiable-trust in Master Gotama have Master Gotama to lead the way, help them out, and give them encouragement. |
bhoto ca pana gotamassa sā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṃ āpajjatī”ti. |
And those people follow Master Gotama’s example.” |
“Evametaṃ, brāhmaṇa, evametaṃ, brāhmaṇa. |
“That’s so true, brahmin! That’s so true, brahmin! …” |
Ye te, brāhmaṇa, kulaputtā mamaṃ uddissa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṃ pabbajitā, ahaṃ tesaṃ pubbaṅgamo, ahaṃ tesaṃ bahukāro, ahaṃ tesaṃ samādapetā; |
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mama ca pana sā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṃ āpajjatī”ti. |
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“Durabhisambhavāni hi kho, bho gotama, araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni, dukkaraṃ pavivekaṃ, durabhiramaṃ |
“But Master Gotama, remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest are challenging. It’s hard to maintain judicious-seclusion and hard to find joy in it. |
ekatte, haranti maññe mano vanāni samādhiṃ alabhamānassa bhikkhuno”ti. |
Staying alone, the forests seem to rob the mind of a monk who isn’t undistractify-&-lucidifyd in samādhi.” |
“Evametaṃ, brāhmaṇa, evametaṃ, brāhmaṇa. |
“That’s so true, brahmin! That’s so true, brahmin! … |
Durabhisambhavāni hi kho, brāhmaṇa, araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni, dukkaraṃ pavivekaṃ, durabhiramaṃ ekatte, haranti maññe mano vanāni samādhiṃ alabhamānassa bhikkhuno. |
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Mayhampi kho, brāhmaṇa, pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi: |
Before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I too thought: |
‘durabhisambhavāni hi kho araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni, dukkaraṃ pavivekaṃ, durabhiramaṃ |
‘Remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest are challenging. It’s hard to maintain judicious-seclusion, and hard to find joy in it. |
ekatte, haranti maññe mano vanāni samādhiṃ alabhamānassa bhikkhuno’ti. |
Staying alone, the forests seem to rob the mind of a monk who isn’t undistractify-&-lucidifyd in samādhi.’ |
Tassa mayhaṃ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: |
Then I thought: |
‘ye kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā aparisuddhakāyakammantā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti, aparisuddhakāyakammantasandosahetu have te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā akusalaṃ bhayabheravaṃ avhāyanti. |
‘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 terror because of these flaws in their conduct. |
Na kho panāhaṃ aparisuddhakāyakammanto araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi; |
But I don’t frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest with unpurified conduct of body, speech, and mind. |
parisuddhakāyakammantohamasmi. |
My conduct is purified. |
Ye hi vo ariyā parisuddhakāyakammantā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti tesamahaṃ aññataro’ti. |
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.’ |
Etamahaṃ, brāhmaṇa, parisuddhakāyakammataṃ attani sampassamāno bhiyyo pallomamāpādiṃ araññe vihārāya. (1) |
Seeing this purity of conduct in myself I felt even more unruffled about staying in the forest. |
Tassa mayhaṃ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: |
Then I thought: |
‘yannūnāhaṃ yā tā rattiyo abhiññātā abhilakkhitā— |
‘There are certain nights that are recognized as specially portentous: |
cātuddasī pañcadasī aṭṭhamī ca pakkhassa— |
the fourteenth, fifteenth, and eighth of the fortnight. |
tathārūpāsu rattīsu yāni tāni ārāmacetiyāni vanacetiyāni rukkhacetiyāni bhiṃsanakāni salomahaṃsāni tathārūpesu senāsanesu vihareyyaṃ appeva nāmāhaṃ bhayabheravaṃ passeyyan’ti. |
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 terror.’ |
So kho ahaṃ, brāhmaṇa, aparena samayena yā tā rattiyo abhiññātā abhilakkhitā— |
Some time later, that’s what I did. |
cātuddasī pañcadasī aṭṭhamī ca pakkhassa— |
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tathārūpāsu rattīsu yāni tāni ārāmacetiyāni vanacetiyāni rukkhacetiyāni bhiṃsanakāni salomahaṃsāni tathārūpesu senāsanesu viharāmi. |
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Tattha ca me, brāhmaṇa, viharato mago vā āgacchati, moro vā kaṭṭhaṃ pāteti, vāto vā paṇṇakasaṭaṃ ereti; |
As I was staying there a deer came by, or a peacock snapped a twig, or the wind rustled the leaves. |
tassa mayhaṃ brāhmaṇa etadahosi: |
Then I thought: |
‘etaṃ nūna taṃ bhayabheravaṃ āgacchatī’ti. |
‘Is this that fear and terror coming?’ |
Tassa mayhaṃ, brāhmaṇa, etadahosi: |
Then I thought: |
‘kiṃ nu kho ahaṃ aññadatthu bhayapaṭikaṅkhī viharāmi? |
‘Why do I always meditate expecting that fear and terror to come? |
Yannūnāhaṃ yathābhūtaṃ yathābhūtassa me taṃ bhayabheravaṃ āgacchati, tathābhūtaṃ tathābhūtova taṃ bhayabheravaṃ paṭivineyyan’ti. |
Why don’t I get rid of that fear and terror just as it comes, while remaining just as I am?’ |
Tassa mayhaṃ, brāhmaṇa, caṅkamantassa taṃ bhayabheravaṃ āgacchati. |
Then that fear and terror came upon me as I was walking. |
So kho ahaṃ, brāhmaṇa, neva tāva tiṭṭhāmi na nisīdāmi na nipajjāmi, yāva caṅkamantova taṃ bhayabheravaṃ paṭivinemi. |
I didn’t stand still or sit down or lie down until I had got rid of that fear and terror while walking. |
Tassa mayhaṃ, brāhmaṇa, ṭhitassa taṃ bhayabheravaṃ āgacchati. |
Then that fear and terror came upon me as I was standing. |
So kho ahaṃ, brāhmaṇa, neva tāva caṅkamāmi na nisīdāmi na nipajjāmi. Yāva ṭhitova taṃ bhayabheravaṃ paṭivinemi. |
I didn’t walk or sit down or lie down until I had got rid of that fear and terror while standing. |
Tassa mayhaṃ, brāhmaṇa, nisinnassa taṃ bhayabheravaṃ āgacchati. |
Then that fear and terror came upon me as I was sitting. |
So kho ahaṃ, brāhmaṇa, neva tāva nipajjāmi na tiṭṭhāmi na caṅkamāmi, yāva nisinnova taṃ bhayabheravaṃ paṭivinemi. |
I didn’t lie down or stand still or walk until I had got rid of that fear and terror while sitting. |
Tassa mayhaṃ, brāhmaṇa, nipannassa taṃ bhayabheravaṃ āgacchati. |
Then that fear and terror came upon me as I was lying down. |
So kho ahaṃ, brāhmaṇa, neva tāva nisīdāmi na tiṭṭhāmi na caṅkamāmi, yāva nipannova taṃ bhayabheravaṃ paṭivinemi. |
I didn’t sit up or stand still or walk until I had got rid of that fear and terror while lying down. |
Santi kho pana, brāhmaṇa, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā rattiṃyeva samānaṃ divāti sañjānanti, divāyeva samānaṃ rattīti sañjānanti. |
There 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. |
Idamahaṃ tesaṃ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṃ sammohavihārasmiṃ vadāmi. |
This meditation of theirs is delusional, I say. |
Ahaṃ kho pana, brāhmaṇa, rattiṃyeva samānaṃ rattīti sañjānāmi, divāyeva samānaṃ divāti sañjānāmi. |
I perceive that it’s night when in fact it is night, and perceive that it’s day when in fact it is day. |
Yaṃ kho taṃ, brāhmaṇa, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: |
And if there’s anyone of whom it may be rightly said that |
‘asammohadhammo satto loke uppanno bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānan’ti, mameva taṃ sammā vadamāno vadeyya: |
a being not liable to delusion has arisen in the world for the welfare and happiness of the people, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans, it’s of me that this should be said. |
‘asammohadhammo satto loke uppanno bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānan’ti. |
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So kho ahaṃ, brāhmaṇa, vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ vivekajaṃ pītisukhaṃ paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja vihāsiṃ. |
Quite judiciously-secluded from sensual pleasures, judiciously-secluded from unskillful Dharmas, I entered and remained in the first jhāna, which has the rapture and pleasure born of judicious-seclusion, while directing-thought and evaluation. |
Vitakkavicārānaṃ vūpasamā ajjhattaṃ sampasādanaṃ cetaso ekodibhāvaṃ avitakkaṃ avicāraṃ samādhijaṃ pītisukhaṃ dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja vihāsiṃ. |
As the directed-thought and evaluation were stilled, I entered and remained in the second jhāna, which has the rapture and pleasure born of undistractible-lucidity, with internal clarity and confidence, and unified mind, without directing-thought and evaluation. |
Pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca vihāsiṃ, sato ca sampajāno sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṃvedesiṃ; yaṃ taṃ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja vihāsiṃ. |
And with the fading away of rapture, I entered and remained in the third jhāna, where I meditated with equanimous-observation, rememberful and aware, personally experiencing pleasure with the flesh and blood physical body of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and rememberful, one meditates in pleasure.’ |
Sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṃ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṃ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṃ catutthaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja vihāsiṃ. |
With the giving up of pleasure and pain, and the ending of former happiness and sadness, I entered and remained in the fourth jhāna, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimous-observation and rememberfulness. |
pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇāya cittaṃ abhininnāmesiṃ. So anekavihitaṃ pubbenivāsaṃ anussarāmi, |
I extended it toward recollection of past lives. I recollected many kinds of past lives. |
seyyathidaṃ—ekampi jātiṃ dvepi jātiyo tissopi jātiyo catassopi jātiyo pañcapi jātiyo dasapi jātiyo vīsampi jātiyo tiṃsampi jātiyo cattālīsampi jātiyo paññāsampi jātiyo jātisatampi jātisahassampi jātisatasahassampi anekepi saṃvaṭṭakappe anekepi vivaṭṭakappe anekepi saṃvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe: ‘amutrāsiṃ evaṃnāmo evaṅgotto evaṃvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṃsukhadukkhappaṭisaṃvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṃ; tatrāpāsiṃ evaṃnāmo evaṅgotto evaṃvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṃsukhadukkhappaṭisaṃvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno’ti. Iti sākāraṃ sauddesaṃ anekavihitaṃ pubbenivāsaṃ anussarāmi. |
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 evolving, many eons of the world contracting and evolving. 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. |
Ayaṃ kho me, brāhmaṇa, rattiyā paṭhame yāme paṭhamā vijjā adhigatā, |
This was the first knowledge, which I achieved in the first watch of the night. |
avijjā vihatā vijjā uppannā, tamo vihato āloko uppanno, yathā taṃ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato. |
Ignorance was destroyed and knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is assiduous, ardent, and resolute. |
So evaṃ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte sattānaṃ cutūpapātañāṇāya cittaṃ abhininnāmesiṃ. |
When my mind had become undistractify-&-lucidifyd in samādhi like this—purified, bright, spotless, rid of taints, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings. |
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 ariyānaṃ upavādakā micchādiṭṭhikā micchādiṭṭhikammasamādānā; te kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā apāyaṃ duggatiṃ vinipātaṃ nirayaṃ upapannā. Ime vā pana bhonto sattā kāyasucaritena samannāgatā vacīsucaritena samannāgatā manosucaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṃ anupavādakā sammādiṭṭhikā sammādiṭṭhikammasamādānā; te kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā sugatiṃ saggaṃ lokaṃ upapannā’ti. Iti dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passāmi cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānāmi. |
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 are reborn according to their deeds: ‘These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They spoke ill of 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 spoke ill of 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 are reborn according to their deeds. |
Ayaṃ kho me, brāhmaṇa, rattiyā majjhime yāme dutiyā vijjā adhigatā, |
This was the second knowledge, which I achieved in the middle watch of the night. |
avijjā vihatā vijjā uppannā, tamo vihato āloko uppanno, yathā taṃ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato. |
Ignorance was destroyed and knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is assiduous, ardent, and resolute. |
So evaṃ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte āsavānaṃ khayañāṇāya cittaṃ abhininnāmesiṃ. |
When my mind had become undistractify-&-lucidifyd in samādhi like this—purified, bright, spotless, rid of taints, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements. |
So ‘idaṃ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṃ abbhaññāsiṃ, ‘ayaṃ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṃ abbhaññāsiṃ, ‘ayaṃ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṃ abbhaññāsiṃ, ‘ayaṃ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṃ abbhaññāsiṃ. |
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’. |
‘Ime āsavā’ti yathābhūtaṃ abbhaññāsiṃ, ‘ayaṃ āsavasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṃ abbhaññāsiṃ, ‘ayaṃ āsavanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṃ abbhaññāsiṃ, ‘ayaṃ āsavanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṃ abbhaññāsiṃ. |
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’. |
Tassa me evaṃ jānato evaṃ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṃ vimuccittha, bhavāsavāpi cittaṃ vimuccittha, avijjāsavāpi cittaṃ vimuccittha. |
Knowing and seeing like this, my mind was freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. |
Vimuttasmiṃ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṃ ahosi. |
When it was freed, I knew it was freed. |
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṃ brahmacariyaṃ, kataṃ karaṇīyaṃ, nāparaṃ itthattāyā’ti abbhaññāsiṃ. |
I understood: ‘Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is no return to any state of existence.’ |
Ayaṃ kho me, brāhmaṇa, rattiyā pacchime yāme tatiyā vijjā adhigatā, |
This was the third knowledge, which I achieved in the final watch of the night. |
avijjā vihatā vijjā uppannā, tamo vihato āloko uppanno, yathā taṃ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato. |
Ignorance was destroyed and knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is assiduous, ardent, and resolute. |
Siyā kho pana te, brāhmaṇa, evamassa: |
Brahmin, you might think: |
‘ajjāpi nūna samaṇo gotamo avītarāgo avītadoso avītamoho, tasmā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevatī’ti. |
‘Perhaps the Master 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.’ |
Na kho panetaṃ, brāhmaṇa, evaṃ daṭṭhabbaṃ. |
But you should not see it like this. |
Dve kho ahaṃ, brāhmaṇa, atthavase sampassamāno araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevāmi— |
I see two reasons to frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest. |
attano ca diṭṭhadhammasukhavihāraṃ sampassamāno, pacchimañca janataṃ anukampamāno”ti. |
I see a happy life for myself in the present, and I have compassion for future generations.” |
“Anukampitarūpā vatāyaṃ bhotā gotamena pacchimā janatā, yathā taṃ arahatā sammāsambuddhena. |
“Indeed, Master Gotama has compassion for future generations, since he is a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. |
Abhikkantaṃ, bho gotama. Abhikkantaṃ, bho gotama. |
Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent, Master Gotama! |
Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṃ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṃ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṃ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṃ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṃ bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. |
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 good eyes can see what’s there, Master Gotama has made The Dharma clear in many ways. |
Esāhaṃ bhavantaṃ gotamaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. |
I go for refuge to Master Gotama, to The Dharma, and to the monk Saṅgha. |
Upāsakaṃ maṃ bhavaṃ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṃ saraṇaṃ gatan”ti. |
From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.” |