4.
The Discourse on Fearlessness
184.
Then the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi said this to the Blessed One -
"Indeed, Master Gotama, I hold such a doctrine and view: 'There is no one who, being subject to death, does not fear, does not experience terror of death.'" "There is, brahmin, one who, being subject to death, fears, experiences terror of death; but there is, brahmin, one who, being subject to death, does not fear, does not experience terror of death.
"And which, brahmin, being subject to death, fears, experiences terror of death? Here, brahmin, a certain person is not free from lust towards sensual pleasures, with non-disappearance of desire, with non-disappearance of affection, with non-disappearance of thirst, with non-disappearance of fever, with non-disappearance of craving. A certain serious disease afflicts him. For him, afflicted by a certain serious disease, it occurs thus - 'Alas, dear sensual pleasures will leave me, and I will leave dear sensual pleasures.' He grieves, is wearied, laments, beats his breast and wails, falls into confusion. This, brahmin, being subject to death, fears, experiences terror of death.
"Furthermore, brahmin, here a certain person is not free from lust towards the body, with non-disappearance of desire, with non-disappearance of affection, with non-disappearance of thirst, with non-disappearance of fever, with non-disappearance of craving. A certain serious disease afflicts him. For him, afflicted by a certain serious disease, it occurs thus - 'Alas, the dear body will leave me, and I will leave the dear body.' He grieves, is wearied, laments, beats his breast and wails, falls into confusion. This too, brahmin, being subject to death, fears, experiences terror of death.
"Furthermore, brahmin, here a certain person has not done good, has not done what is wholesome, has not made a shelter for the fearful, has done evil, has done what is cruel, has done what is wrong. A certain serious disease afflicts him. For him, afflicted by a certain serious disease, it occurs thus - 'Indeed I have not done what is good, I have not done what is wholesome, I have not made a shelter for the fearful; I have done evil, I have done what is cruel, I have done what is wrong. As far as, friend, is the destination of those who have not done good, who have not done what is wholesome, who have not made a shelter for the fearful, who have done evil, who have done what is cruel, who have done what is wrong - to that destination I shall go after death.' He grieves, is wearied, laments, beats his breast and wails, falls into confusion. This too, brahmin, being subject to death, fears, experiences terror of death.
"Furthermore, brahmin, here a certain person is one who doubts, who is uncertain, who has not reached a conclusion regarding the Good Teaching. A certain serious disease afflicts him. For him, afflicted by a certain serious disease, it occurs thus - 'Indeed I am one who doubts, who is uncertain, who has not reached a conclusion regarding the Good Teaching.' He grieves, is wearied, laments, beats his breast and wails, falls into confusion. This too, brahmin, being subject to death, fears, experiences terror of death. These, brahmin, are the four who, being subject to death, fear, experience terror of death.
"And which, brahmin, being subject to death, does not fear, does not experience terror of death? Here, brahmin, a certain person is free from lust towards sensual pleasures, with disappearance of desire, with disappearance of affection, with disappearance of thirst, with disappearance of fever, with disappearance of craving. A certain serious disease afflicts him. For him, touched by a certain serious illness, it does not occur thus - 'Alas, dear sensual pleasures will leave me, and I will leave dear sensual pleasures.' He does not grieve, is not wearied, does not lament, does not beat his breast and wail, does not fall into confusion. This, brahmin, being subject to death, does not fear, does not experience terror of death.
"Furthermore, brahmin, here a certain person is free from lust towards the body, with disappearance of desire, with disappearance of affection, with disappearance of thirst, with disappearance of fever, with disappearance of craving. A certain serious disease afflicts him. For him, touched by a certain serious illness, it does not occur thus - 'Alas, the dear body will leave me, and I will leave the dear body.' He does not grieve, is not wearied, does not lament, does not beat his breast and wail, does not fall into confusion. This too, brahmin, being subject to death, does not fear, does not experience terror of death.
"Furthermore, brahmin, here a certain person has not done evil, has not done what is cruel, has not done what is wrong, has done what is good, has done what is wholesome, has made a shelter for the fearful. A certain serious disease afflicts him. For him, afflicted by a certain serious disease, it occurs thus - 'Indeed I have not done evil, I have not done what is cruel, I have not done what is wrong; I have done what is good, I have done what is wholesome, I have made a shelter for the fearful. As far as, friend, is the destination of those who have not done evil, who have not done what is cruel, who have not done what is wrong, who have done good, who have done what is wholesome, who have made a shelter for the fearful - to that destination I shall go after death.' He does not grieve, is not wearied, does not lament, does not beat his breast and wail, does not fall into confusion. This too, brahmin, being subject to death, does not fear, does not experience terror of death.
"Furthermore, brahmin, here a certain person is one who does not doubt, who is not uncertain, who has reached a conclusion regarding the Good Teaching. A certain serious disease afflicts him. For him, afflicted by a certain serious disease, it occurs thus - 'Indeed I am one who does not doubt, who is not uncertain, who has reached a conclusion regarding the Good Teaching.' He does not grieve, is not wearied, does not lament, does not beat his breast and wail, does not fall into confusion. This too, brahmin, being subject to death, does not fear, does not experience terror of death. These, brahmin, are the four who, being subject to death, do not fear, do not experience terror of death."
"Excellent, Master Gotama, excellent, Master Gotama! Etc. May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forth for life." The fourth.