PTS cs 44 ‘Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Blessed One: “The Arahats have laid aside all fear and trembling.” But on the other hand when, in the city of Rājagaha, they saw Dhana-pālaka, the man-slaying elephant, bearing down upon the Blessed PTS vp En 298 One, all the five hundred Arahats forsook the Conqueror and fled, one only excepted, Ānanda the Elder. Now how was it, Nāgasena? Did those Arahats run away from fear—or did they run away willing to let the Blessed One be destroyed, and thinking: “(Our conduct) will be clear (to him) from the way in which he himself will act,” PTS vp Pali 208 or did they run away with the hope of watching the immense and unequalled mighty power which the Tathāgata would exhibit? If, Nāgasena, what the PTS vp En 299 Blessed One said as to the Arahats being devoid of fear be true, then this story must be false. But if the story be true, then the statement that the Arahats have put away fear and trembling must be false. This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’
PTS cs 45 ‘The Blessed One did say, O king, that Arahats have put away all fear and trembling, and five hundred Arahats, save only Ānanda, did, as you say, run away when the elephant Dhana-pālaka bore down upon the Tathāgata that day in Rājagaha. But that was neither out of fear, nor from willingness to let the Blessed One be destroyed. For the cause by which Arahats could be made to fear or tremble has been destroyed in them, and therefore are they free from fear or trembling. Is the broad earth, O king, afraid at people digging into it, or breaking it up, or at having to bear the weight of the mighty oceans and the peaked mountain ranges?’
‘Certainly not, Sir.’
‘But why not?’
‘Because there is no cause in the broad earth which could produce fear or trembling.’
‘Just so, O king. And neither is there any such cause in Arahats. And would a mountain peak be afraid of being split up, or broken down, or made to fall, or burnt with fire?’
‘Certainly not, Sir.’
‘But why not?’ PTS vp Pali 209
‘The cause of fear or trembling does not exist within it.’
‘And just so, O king, with Arahats. If all the creatures of various outward form in the whole PTS vp En 300 universe were, together, to attack one Arahat in order to put him to fear, yet would they bring about no variation in his heart. And why? Because there is neither condition nor cause for fear (in him, whence fear could arise). Rather, O king, was it these considerations that arose in the minds of those Arahats: “To-day when the best of the best of men, the hero among conquerors, has entered into the famous city, Dhana-pālaka the elephant will rush down the street. But to a certainty the brother who is his special attendant will not forsake him who is above the god of gods. But if we should not go away, then neither will the goodness of Ānanda be made manifest, nor will the elephant actually approach the Tathāgata. Let us then withdraw. Thus will great masses of the people attain to emancipation from the bonds of evil, and the goodness of Ānanda be made manifest.” It was on the realisation of the fact that those advantages would arise from their doing so, that the Arahats withdrew to every side.’
‘Well, Nāgasena, have you solved the puzzle. That is so. The Arahats feared not, nor did they tremble. But for the advantages that they foresaw they withdrew on every side.’
Here ends the problem as to the panic of the Arahats.
9. Arahantaabhāyanapañha
9. Arahantaabhāyanapañha
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti. Puna ca nagare rājagahe dhanapālakaṁ hatthiṁ bhagavati opatantaṁ disvā pañca khīṇāsavasatāni pariccajitvā jinavaraṁ pakkantāni disāvidisaṁ ekaṁ ṭhapetvā theraṁ ānandaṁ. Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, te arahanto bhayā pakkantā, paññāyissati sakena kammenāti dasabalaṁ pātetukāmā pakkantā, udāhu tathāgatassa atulaṁ vipulamasamaṁ pāṭihāriyaṁ daṭṭhukāmā pakkantā? Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti, tena hi ‘nagare …pe… ānandan’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ taṁ micchā. Yadi nagare rājagahe dhanapālakaṁ hatthiṁ bhagavati opatantaṁ disvā pañca khīṇāsavasatāni pariccajitvā jinavaraṁ pakkantāni disāvidisaṁ ekaṁ ṭhapetvā theraṁ ānandaṁ, tena hi ‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti.
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—
‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti.
Puna ca nagare rājagahe dhanapālakaṁ hatthiṁ bhagavati opatantaṁ disvā pañca khīṇāsavasatāni pariccajitvā jinavaraṁ pakkantāni disāvidisaṁ ekaṁ ṭhapetvā theraṁ ānandaṁ.
Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, te arahanto bhayā pakkantā, paññāyissati sakena kammenāti dasabalaṁ pātetukāmā pakkantā, udāhu tathāgatassa atulaṁ vipulamasamaṁ pāṭihāriyaṁ daṭṭhukāmā pakkantā?
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—
‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti, tena hi ‘nagare …pe…
ānandan’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ taṁ micchā.
Yadi nagare rājagahe dhanapālakaṁ hatthiṁ bhagavati opatantaṁ disvā pañca khīṇāsavasatāni pariccajitvā jinavaraṁ pakkantāni disāvidisaṁ ekaṁ ṭhapetvā theraṁ ānandaṁ, tena hi ‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā.
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti.
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti. Puna ca nagare rājagahe dhanapālakaṁ hatthiṁ bhagavati opatantaṁ disvā pañca khīṇāsavasatāni pariccajitvā jinavaraṁ pakkantāni disāvidisaṁ ekaṁ ṭhapetvā theraṁ ānandaṁ. Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, te arahanto bhayā pakkantā, paññāyissati sakena kammenāti dasabalaṁ pātetukāmā pakkantā, udāhu tathāgatassa atulaṁ vipulamasamaṁ pāṭihāriyaṁ daṭṭhukāmā pakkantā? Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti, tena hi ‘nagare …pe… ānandan’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ taṁ micchā. Yadi nagare rājagahe dhanapālakaṁ hatthiṁ bhagavati opatantaṁ disvā pañca khīṇāsavasatāni pariccajitvā jinavaraṁ pakkantāni disāvidisaṁ ekaṁ ṭhapetvā theraṁ ānandaṁ, tena hi ‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti.
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti, nagare rājagahe dhanapālakaṁ hatthiṁ bhagavati opatantaṁ disvā pañca khīṇāsavasatāni pariccajitvā jinavaraṁ pakkantāni disāvidisaṁ ekaṁ ṭhapetvā theraṁ ānandaṁ, tañca pana na bhayā, nāpi bhagavantaṁ pātetukāmatāya.
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—
‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti, nagare rājagahe dhanapālakaṁ hatthiṁ bhagavati opatantaṁ disvā pañca khīṇāsavasatāni pariccajitvā jinavaraṁ pakkantāni disāvidisaṁ ekaṁ ṭhapetvā theraṁ ānandaṁ, tañca pana na bhayā, nāpi bhagavantaṁ pātetukāmatāya.
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti, nagare rājagahe dhanapālakaṁ hatthiṁ bhagavati opatantaṁ disvā pañca khīṇāsavasatāni pariccajitvā jinavaraṁ pakkantāni disāvidisaṁ ekaṁ ṭhapetvā theraṁ ānandaṁ, tañca pana na bhayā, nāpi bhagavantaṁ pātetukāmatāya.
Yena pana, mahārāja, hetunā arahanto bhāyeyyuṁ vā tāseyyuṁ vā, so hetu arahantānaṁ samucchinno, tasmā vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto, bhāyati nu, mahārāja, mahāpathavī khaṇantepi bhindantepi dhārentepi samuddapabbatagirisikhare”ti? “Na hi, bhante”ti. “Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti? “Natthi, bhante, mahāpathaviyā so hetu, yena hetunā mahāpathavī bhāyeyya vā tāseyya vā”ti. “Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi arahantānaṁ so hetu, yena hetunā arahanto bhāyeyyuṁ vā tāseyyuṁ vā.
Yena pana, mahārāja, hetunā arahanto bhāyeyyuṁ vā tāseyyuṁ vā, so hetu arahantānaṁ samucchinno, tasmā vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto, bhāyati nu, mahārāja, mahāpathavī khaṇantepi bhindantepi dhārentepi samuddapabbatagirisikhare”ti?
“Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti?
“Natthi, bhante, mahāpathaviyā so hetu, yena hetunā mahāpathavī bhāyeyya vā tāseyya vā”ti.
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi arahantānaṁ so hetu, yena hetunā arahanto bhāyeyyuṁ vā tāseyyuṁ vā.
Yena pana, mahārāja, hetunā arahanto bhāyeyyuṁ vā tāseyyuṁ vā, so hetu arahantānaṁ samucchinno, tasmā vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto, bhāyati nu, mahārāja, mahāpathavī khaṇantepi bhindantepi dhārentepi samuddapabbatagirisikhare”ti? “Na hi, bhante”ti. “Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti? “Natthi, bhante, mahāpathaviyā so hetu, yena hetunā mahāpathavī bhāyeyya vā tāseyya vā”ti. “Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi arahantānaṁ so hetu, yena hetunā arahanto bhāyeyyuṁ vā tāseyyuṁ vā.
Bhāyati nu, mahārāja, girisikharaṁ chindante vā bhindante vā patante vā agginā dahante vā”ti? “Na hi, bhante”ti. “Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti? “Natthi, bhante, girisikharassa so hetu, yena hetunā girisikharaṁ bhāyeyya vā tāseyya vā”ti. “Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi arahantānaṁ so hetu, yena hetunā arahanto bhāyeyyuṁ vā tāseyyuṁ vā.
Bhāyati nu, mahārāja, girisikharaṁ chindante vā bhindante vā patante vā agginā dahante vā”ti?
“Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti?
“Natthi, bhante, girisikharassa so hetu, yena hetunā girisikharaṁ bhāyeyya vā tāseyya vā”ti.
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi arahantānaṁ so hetu, yena hetunā arahanto bhāyeyyuṁ vā tāseyyuṁ vā.
Bhāyati nu, mahārāja, girisikharaṁ chindante vā bhindante vā patante vā agginā dahante vā”ti? “Na hi, bhante”ti. “Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti? “Natthi, bhante, girisikharassa so hetu, yena hetunā girisikharaṁ bhāyeyya vā tāseyya vā”ti. “Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi arahantānaṁ so hetu, yena hetunā arahanto bhāyeyyuṁ vā tāseyyuṁ vā.
Yadipi, mahārāja, lokadhātusatasahassesu ye keci sattanikāyapariyāpannā sabbepi te sattihatthā ekaṁ arahantaṁ upadhāvitvā tāseyyuṁ, na bhaveyya arahato cittassa kiñci aññathattaṁ. Kiṅkāraṇaṁ? Aṭṭhānamanavakāsatāya.
Yadipi, mahārāja, lokadhātusatasahassesu ye keci sattanikāyapariyāpannā sabbepi te sattihatthā ekaṁ arahantaṁ upadhāvitvā tāseyyuṁ, na bhaveyya arahato cittassa kiñci aññathattaṁ.
Yadipi, mahārāja, lokadhātusatasahassesu ye keci sattanikāyapariyāpannā sabbepi te sattihatthā ekaṁ arahantaṁ upadhāvitvā tāseyyuṁ, na bhaveyya arahato cittassa kiñci aññathattaṁ. Kiṅkāraṇaṁ? Aṭṭhānamanavakāsatāya.
Api ca, mahārāja, tesaṁ khīṇāsavānaṁ evaṁ cetoparivitakko ahosi ‘ajja naravarapavare jinavaravasabhe nagaravaramanuppaviṭṭhe vīthiyā dhanapālako hatthī āpatissati, asaṁsayamatidevadevaṁ upaṭṭhāko na pariccajissati, yadi mayaṁ sabbepi bhagavantaṁ na pariccajissāma, ānandassa guṇo pākaṭo na bhavissati, na heva ca tathāgataṁ samupagamissati hatthināgo, handa mayaṁ apagacchāma, evamidaṁ mahato janakāyassa kilesabandhanamokkho bhavissati, ānandassa ca guṇo pākaṭo bhavissatī’ti. Evaṁ te arahanto ānisaṁsaṁ disvā disāvidisaṁ pakkantā”ti. “Suvibhatto, bhante nāgasena, pañho, evametaṁ natthi arahantānaṁ bhayaṁ vā santāso vā, ānisaṁsaṁ disvā arahanto pakkantā disāvidisan”ti.
Api ca, mahārāja, tesaṁ khīṇāsavānaṁ evaṁ cetoparivitakko ahosi ‘ajja naravarapavare jinavaravasabhe nagaravaramanuppaviṭṭhe vīthiyā dhanapālako hatthī āpatissati, asaṁsayamatidevadevaṁ upaṭṭhāko na pariccajissati, yadi mayaṁ sabbepi bhagavantaṁ na pariccajissāma, ānandassa guṇo pākaṭo na bhavissati, na heva ca tathāgataṁ samupagamissati hatthināgo, handa mayaṁ apagacchāma, evamidaṁ mahato janakāyassa kilesabandhanamokkho bhavissati, ānandassa ca guṇo pākaṭo bhavissatī’ti.
Evaṁ te arahanto ānisaṁsaṁ disvā disāvidisaṁ pakkantā”ti.
“Suvibhatto, bhante nāgasena, pañho, evametaṁ natthi arahantānaṁ bhayaṁ vā santāso vā, ānisaṁsaṁ disvā arahanto pakkantā disāvidisan”ti.
Api ca, mahārāja, tesaṁ khīṇāsavānaṁ evaṁ cetoparivitakko ahosi ‘ajja naravarapavare jinavaravasabhe nagaravaramanuppaviṭṭhe vīthiyā dhanapālako hatthī āpatissati, asaṁsayamatidevadevaṁ upaṭṭhāko na pariccajissati, yadi mayaṁ sabbepi bhagavantaṁ na pariccajissāma, ānandassa guṇo pākaṭo na bhavissati, na heva ca tathāgataṁ samupagamissati hatthināgo, handa mayaṁ apagacchāma, evamidaṁ mahato janakāyassa kilesabandhanamokkho bhavissati, ānandassa ca guṇo pākaṭo bhavissatī’ti. Evaṁ te arahanto ānisaṁsaṁ disvā disāvidisaṁ pakkantā”ti. “Suvibhatto, bhante nāgasena, pañho, evametaṁ natthi arahantānaṁ bhayaṁ vā santāso vā, ānisaṁsaṁ disvā arahanto pakkantā disāvidisan”ti.
Arahantaabhāyanapañho navamo. *Arahantaabhāyanapañho → khīṇāsavābhāyanapañho (bj); khīṇāsavānaṁ abhāyanapañho (maku)
Arahantaabhāyanapañho navamo. *Arahantaabhāyanapañho → khīṇāsavābhāyanapañho (bj); khīṇāsavānaṁ abhāyanapañho (maku)
Arahantaabhāyanapañho navamo. *Arahantaabhāyanapañho → khīṇāsavābhāyanapañho (bj); khīṇāsavānaṁ abhāyanapañho (maku)