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Reference: Exploring the Words of the Buddha

This is a summary of MN 4: Fear and Dread (Bhayabherava Sutta)

The Buddha describes to a brahmin the qualities required of a monk who wishes to live alone in the forest. He then relates an account of his own attempts to conquer fear when striving for enlightenment.

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MN 4 Summary

(1 – 3) When clansmen have gone forth from the home life into homelessness out of faith in Buddha, they have Buddha for their leader, their helper, and their guide; and they follow the example of Buddha. Remote jungle-thicket resting places in the forest are hard to endure, seclusion is hard to practice, and it is hard to enjoy solitude. One would think the jungles must rob a bhikkhu of his mind, if he has no concentration.

(4 – 19) It is true that unwholesome fear and dread comes under those conditions of homelessness in remote jungle-thickets. However, one finds great solace in dwelling in the forest, as one develops the following qualities:

1. One is purified in bodily, verbal and mental conduct and livelihood (not unpurified)
2. One is uncovetous (not covetous and full of lust).
3. One has a mind of loving-kindness (not with a mind of ill will and intentions of hate)
4. One is without sloth and torpor (not overcome by sloth and torpor)
5. One has a peaceful mind (not overcome with restless and unpeaceful mind)
6. One has gone beyond doubt (not uncertain and doubting)
7. One is not given to self-praise and disparagement of others
8. One is free from trepidation (not subject to alarm and terror)
9. One has few wishes (not desirous of gain, honour, and renown)
10. One is energetic (not lazy and wanting in energy)
11. One is established in mindfulness (not unmindful and fully aware)
12. One is possessed of concentration (not unconcentrated and with straying minds)
13. One is possessed of practical wisdom (not devoid of wisdom or be a driveller)

(20 – 26) The way to subdue that fear and dread in haunted spaces is to keep the same posture that one is in (walking, standing, sitting, and lying down) until the fear and dread gradually dissipates. Secluded from sensual pleasures and unwholesome states, one enters upon the first jhana and abides in it. He uses mindfulness of breathing as his meditation subject. The applied and sustained thought is present, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, one enters upon and abides in the second jhana. There is self-confidence and singleness of mind with rapture and pleasure born of concentration. With the fading away as well of rapture, one enters upon and abides in the third jhana. He is now mindful and fully aware, and has equanimity; though he still feels pleasure with the body. With no fixation on pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, one enters upon and abides in the fourth jhana. Now there is only the purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. There is neither-pain-nor-pleasure. 

(27 – 33) Having gone through the four jhanas, Buddha directed his attention to the recollection of past lives. He recollected many aeons of world-contraction and expansion, and hundred thousand births with their aspects and particulars. This was the first true knowledge that Buddha attained. He then directed his attention to knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings. He saw beings inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate passing away and reappearing. He understood how beings pass on according to their actions. This was the second true knowledge that Buddha attained. Next, He directed his attention to knowledge of the destruction of the taints. He came to know very directly, the nature of suffering and taints , their origin, their cessation, and the way leading to their cessation. With this direct knowledge, Buddha’s mind was liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of being, and from the taint of ignorance. He directly knew: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.’ This was the third true knowledge that Buddha attained. 

(34 – 35) Buddha was enlightened but he still preferred to resort to remote jungle-thicket resting places in the forest. This was because he saw a pleasant abiding for himself there, and also because he had compassion for future generations (to be an example for them).

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