3.
The Discourse on the Top of the Standard
249.
At Sāvatthī.
There the Blessed One addressed the monks thus:
"Monks."
"Venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said this:
"Once in the past, monks, there was a battle between the gods and the titans that was fully engaged. Then, monks, Sakka, the lord of the gods, addressed the gods of the Thirty-three -
'If, sirs, for the gods who have gone to battle, there should arise fear or trepidation or terror, at that time you should look up at my banner-top. For when you look up at my banner-top, whatever fear or trepidation or terror there is, that will be abandoned.'
'If you would not look up at my banner-top, then you should look up at the banner-top of Pajāpati, the king of gods. For when you look up at the banner-top of Pajāpati, the king of gods, whatever fear or trepidation or terror there is, that will be abandoned.'
'If you would not look up at the banner-top of Pajāpati, the king of gods, then you should look up at the banner-top of Varuṇa, the king of gods. For when you look up at the banner-top of Varuṇa, the king of gods, whatever fear or trepidation or terror there is, that will be abandoned.'
'If you would not look up at the banner-top of Varuṇa, the king of gods, then you should look up at the banner-top of Īsāna, the king of gods. For when you look up at the banner-top of Īsāna, the king of gods, whatever fear or trepidation or terror there is, that will be abandoned.'"
"But, monks, when looking up at the banner-top of Sakka, the lord of the gods, or when looking up at the banner-top of Pajāpati, the king of gods, or when looking up at the banner-top of Varuṇa, the king of gods, or when looking up at the banner-top of Īsāna, the king of gods, whatever fear or trepidation or terror there is, that might be abandoned or might not be abandoned.
"What is the reason for this? Because Sakka, monks, the lord of the gods, is not free from lust, not free from hate, not free from delusion, timid, terrified, fearful, one who runs away.
"But I, monks, say thus - 'If, monks, for you who have gone to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty house, there should arise fear or trepidation or terror, at that time you should recollect me - "Thus indeed is the Blessed One: the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, the Fortunate One, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One." For when you, monks, are recollecting me, whatever fear or trepidation or terror there is, that will be abandoned.
"'If you would not recollect me, then you should recollect the Teaching - 'Well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching, visible here and now, immediately effective, inviting one to come and see, leading onward, to be individually experienced by the wise.' For when you, monks, are recollecting the Teaching, whatever fear or trepidation or terror there is, that will be abandoned.
"'If you would not recollect the Teaching, then you should recollect the Community - "The Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practising well, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practising uprightly, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practising by the true method, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practising properly, that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals; this Community of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world." For when you, monks, are recollecting the Community, whatever fear or trepidation or terror there is, that will be abandoned.
"What is the reason for this? Because the Truth-finder, monks, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, is free from lust, free from hate, free from delusion, fearless, not terrified, not fearful, one who does not run away." This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this -
Recollect the Enlightened by himself, there would be no fear for you.
Then you should remember the Teaching, leading to liberation, well expounded.
Then you should remember the Community, the unsurpassed field of merit.
There will be no fear or trepidation or terror."