Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.184

Numbered Discourses 4.184

19. Brāhmaṇavagga

19. Brahmins

Abhayasutta

Fearless

Atha kho jāṇussoṇi¹ brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then the brahmin Jānussoṇi went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:

“Ahañhi, bho gotama, evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi: ‘natthi yo maraṇadhammo samāno na bhāyati, na santāsaṁ āpajjati maraṇassā’”ti.

“Master Gotama, this is my doctrine and view: ‘All those liable to death are frightened and terrified of death.’”

“Atthi, brāhmaṇa, maraṇadhammo samāno bhāyati, santāsaṁ āpajjati maraṇassa; atthi pana, brāhmaṇa, maraṇadhammo samāno na bhāyati, na santāsaṁ āpajjati maraṇassa.

“Brahmin, some of those liable to death are frightened and terrified of death. But some of those liable to death are not frightened and terrified of death.

Katamo ca, brāhmaṇa, maraṇadhammo samāno bhāyati, santāsaṁ āpajjati maraṇassa? Idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco kāmesu avītarāgo hoti avigatacchando avigatapemo avigatapipāso avigatapariḷāho avigatataṇho. Tamenaṁ aññataro gāḷho rogātaṅko phusati. Tassa aññatarena gāḷhena rogātaṅkena phuṭṭhassa evaṁ hoti: ‘piyā vata maṁ kāmā jahissanti, piye cāhaṁ kāme jahissāmī’ti. So socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, maraṇadhammo samāno bhāyati, santāsaṁ āpajjati maraṇassa.

Who are those frightened of death? It’s someone who isn’t free of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for sensual pleasures. When they fall seriously ill, they think: ‘The sensual pleasures that I love so much will leave me, and I’ll leave them.’ They sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. This is someone who is frightened of death.

Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇa, idhekacco kāye avītarāgo hoti avigatacchando avigatapemo avigatapipāso avigatapariḷāho avigatataṇho. Tamenaṁ aññataro gāḷho rogātaṅko phusati. Tassa aññatarena gāḷhena rogātaṅkena phuṭṭhassa evaṁ hoti: ‘piyo vata maṁ kāyo jahissati, piyañcāhaṁ kāyaṁ jahissāmī’ti. So socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayampi kho, brāhmaṇa, maraṇadhammo samāno bhāyati, santāsaṁ āpajjati maraṇassa.

Furthermore, it’s someone who isn’t free of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for the body. When they fall seriously ill, they think: ‘This body that I love so much will leave me, and I’ll leave it.’ They sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. This, too, is someone who is frightened of death.

Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇa, idhekacco akatakalyāṇo hoti akatakusalo akatabhīruttāṇo katapāpo kataluddo katakibbiso. Tamenaṁ aññataro gāḷho rogātaṅko phusati. Tassa aññatarena gāḷhena rogātaṅkena phuṭṭhassa evaṁ hoti: ‘akataṁ vata me kalyāṇaṁ, akataṁ kusalaṁ, akataṁ bhīruttāṇaṁ; kataṁ pāpaṁ, kataṁ luddaṁ, kataṁ kibbisaṁ. Yāvatā, bho, akatakalyāṇānaṁ akatakusalānaṁ akatabhīruttāṇānaṁ katapāpānaṁ kataluddānaṁ katakibbisānaṁ gati taṁ gatiṁ pecca gacchāmī’ti. So socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayampi kho, brāhmaṇa, maraṇadhammo samāno bhāyati, santāsaṁ āpajjati maraṇassa.

Furthermore, it’s someone who hasn’t done good and skillful things that keep them safe, but has done bad, violent, and depraved things. When they fall seriously ill, they think: ‘Well, I haven’t done good and skillful things that keep me safe. And I have done bad, violent, and depraved things. When I depart, I’ll go to the place where people who’ve done such things go.’ They sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. This, too, is someone who is frightened of death.

Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇa, idhekacco kaṅkhī hoti vicikicchī aniṭṭhaṅgato saddhamme. Tamenaṁ aññataro gāḷho rogātaṅko phusati. Tassa aññatarena gāḷhena rogātaṅkena phuṭṭhassa evaṁ hoti: ‘kaṅkhī vatamhi vicikicchī aniṭṭhaṅgato saddhamme’ti. So socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayampi kho, brāhmaṇa, maraṇadhammo samāno bhāyati, santāsaṁ āpajjati maraṇassa. Ime kho, brāhmaṇa, cattāro maraṇadhammā samānā bhāyanti, santāsaṁ āpajjanti maraṇassa.

Furthermore, it’s someone who’s doubtful, uncertain, and undecided about the true teaching. When they fall seriously ill, they think: ‘I’m doubtful, uncertain, and undecided about the true teaching.’ They sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. This, too, is someone who is frightened of death. These are the four people liable to death who are frightened and terrified of death.

Katamo ca, brāhmaṇa, maraṇadhammo samāno na bhāyati, na santāsaṁ āpajjati maraṇassa?

Who are those not frightened of death?

Idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco kāmesu vītarāgo hoti vigatacchando vigatapemo vigatapipāso vigatapariḷāho vigatataṇho. Tamenaṁ aññataro gāḷho rogātaṅko phusati. Tassa aññatarena gāḷhena rogātaṅkena phuṭṭhassa na evaṁ hoti: ‘piyā vata maṁ kāmā jahissanti, piye cāhaṁ kāme jahissāmī’ti. So na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, maraṇadhammo samāno na bhāyati, na santāsaṁ āpajjati maraṇassa.

It’s someone who is rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for sensual pleasures. When they fall seriously ill, they don’t think: ‘The sensual pleasures that I love so much will leave me, and I’ll leave them.’ They don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. This is someone who’s not frightened of death.

Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇa, idhekacco kāye vītarāgo hoti vigatacchando vigatapemo vigatapipāso vigatapariḷāho vigatataṇho. Tamenaṁ aññataro gāḷho rogātaṅko phusati. Tassa aññatarena gāḷhena rogātaṅkena phuṭṭhassa na evaṁ hoti: ‘piyo vata maṁ kāyo jahissati, piyañcāhaṁ kāyaṁ jahissāmī’ti. So na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayampi kho, brāhmaṇa, maraṇadhammo samāno na bhāyati, na santāsaṁ āpajjati maraṇassa.

Furthermore, it’s someone who is rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for the body. When they fall seriously ill, they don’t think: ‘This body that I love so much will leave me, and I’ll leave it.’ They don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. This, too, is someone who’s not frightened of death.

Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇa, idhekacco akatapāpo hoti akataluddo akatakibbiso katakalyāṇo katakusalo katabhīruttāṇo. Tamenaṁ aññataro gāḷho rogātaṅko phusati. Tassa aññatarena gāḷhena rogātaṅkena phuṭṭhassa evaṁ hoti: ‘akataṁ vata me pāpaṁ, akataṁ luddaṁ, akataṁ kibbisaṁ; kataṁ kalyāṇaṁ, kataṁ kusalaṁ, kataṁ bhīruttāṇaṁ. Yāvatā, bho, akatapāpānaṁ akataluddānaṁ akatakibbisānaṁ katakalyāṇānaṁ katakusalānaṁ katabhīruttāṇānaṁ gati taṁ gatiṁ pecca gacchāmī’ti. So na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayampi kho, brāhmaṇa, maraṇadhammo samāno na bhāyati, na santāsaṁ āpajjati maraṇassa.

Furthermore, it’s someone who hasn’t done bad, violent, and corrupt deeds, but has done good and skillful deeds that keep them safe. When they fall seriously ill, they think: ‘Well, I haven’t done bad, violent, and depraved things. And I have done good and skillful deeds that keep me safe. When I depart, I’ll go to the place where people who’ve done such things go.’ They don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. This, too, is someone who’s not frightened of death.

Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇa, idhekacco akaṅkhī hoti avicikicchī niṭṭhaṅgato saddhamme. Tamenaṁ aññataro gāḷho rogātaṅko phusati. Tassa aññatarena gāḷhena rogātaṅkena phuṭṭhassa evaṁ hoti: ‘akaṅkhī vatamhi avicikicchī niṭṭhaṅgato saddhamme’ti. So na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayampi kho, brāhmaṇa, maraṇadhammo samāno na bhāyati, na santāsaṁ āpajjati maraṇassa.

Furthermore, it’s someone who’s not doubtful, uncertain, or undecided about the true teaching. When they fall seriously ill, they think: ‘I’m not doubtful, uncertain, or undecided about the true teaching.’ They don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. This, too, is someone who’s not frightened of death.

Ime kho, brāhmaṇa, cattāro maraṇadhammā samānā na bhāyanti, na santāsaṁ āpajjanti maraṇassā”ti.

These are the four people liable to death who are not frightened and terrified of death.”

“Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

“Excellent, Master Gotama! … From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

Catutthaṁ.