The Four Fearlessnesses
Two fearlessnesses grounded in self-benefit — proclaiming one's own complete awakening and one's own exhaustion of the contaminants — and two grounded in benefit for others — teaching what specifically obstructs the path and what specifically leads out of suffering — each held with a confidence that no challenge from any quarter, human or divine, can actually shake.
The Four Fearlessnesses
無畏者，謂四無畏。云何正等覺無畏？謂依止靜慮，由自利門，於一切種所知境界正等覺自稱德號建立具足中若定若慧，及彼相應諸心心所。云何漏盡無畏？謂依止靜慮，由自利門，於一切種漏盡自稱德號建立具足中若定若慧，餘如前說。云何障法無畏？謂依止靜慮，由利他門，於一切種說障礙法自稱德號建立具足中若定若慧，餘如前說。云何出苦道無畏？謂依止靜慮，由利他門，於一切種說出苦道法自稱德號建立具足中若定若慧，餘如前說。
The fearlessnesses are the four fearlessnesses. What is the fearlessness of complete awakening? It is, resting on the foundation of dhyāna, by way of self-benefit, the concentration and wisdom fully present within a confident, publicly proclaimed assertion of complete awakening regarding every kind of knowable object, together with the associated mind and mental factors.
What is the fearlessness of the exhaustion of the contaminants? It is, resting on that same foundation, by way of self-benefit, the concentration and wisdom fully present within a confident, publicly proclaimed assertion of the exhaustion of every kind of contaminant, the remainder exactly as already stated.
What is the fearlessness of the dharmas that obstruct the path? It is, resting on that same foundation, by way of benefit for others, the concentration and wisdom fully present within a confident, publicly proclaimed assertion of the dharmas that obstruct the path, of every kind, the remainder exactly as already stated.
What is the fearlessness of the path leading out of suffering? It is, resting on that same foundation, by way of benefit for others, the concentration and wisdom fully present within a confident, publicly proclaimed assertion of the path leading out of suffering, of every kind, the remainder exactly as already stated.
T1606 preserves the actual scriptural declarations behind each of these four. For the fearlessness of complete awakening: "I am one who has completely awakened. Should any ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or Brahmā anywhere in the world challenge me according to the Dharma, or seek to remind me, saying that with respect to some dharma I have not completely awakened — I see no genuine basis for such a challenge at all. Because I see no such basis, I abide in safety, without fear and without apprehension, proclaiming myself to hold the supreme sage's own position, rightly roaring the lion's roar in the midst of the great assembly and turning the great wheel of Brahmā — a wheel that no ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or Brahmā anywhere in the world is able to turn back." For the fearlessness of the exhaustion of the contaminants: "My every contaminant is permanently exhausted" — stated and defended with the very same unshakable confidence. For the fearlessness of the dharmas that obstruct the path: "I teach my disciples that defilement will certainly obstruct the path" — and this teaching, too, withstands any challenge. And for the fearlessness of the path leading out of suffering: "I teach my disciples the path of deliverance, which the noble ones cultivate to certain deliverance and certain penetration. Should any ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or Brahmā anywhere in the world challenge me according to the Dharma, saying that cultivating this path does not lead to genuine deliverance, does not correctly exhaust suffering, and does not reach suffering's own limit — I see no genuine basis for such a challenge at all."
T1606 notes that these four fall naturally into two pairs: the first two serve self-benefit, distinguished by knowledge and by the actual severing of affliction respectively; the latter two serve benefit for others, distinguished by teaching what is to be abandoned and teaching the antidote that accomplishes that abandonment. In every one of the four, the underlying confidence rests on the very same foundation: having genuinely and completely realized what is proclaimed, there remains no possible challenge — from any being in any realm whatsoever — capable of actually dislodging it.
Part 108 Complete
The four fearlessnesses are now examined. Part 109 turns to the three foundations of mindfulness unique to a buddha and the three states requiring no concealment — the Tathāgata's own equanimity toward disciples who heed his teaching, disciples who do not, and the mixture of both, together with a transparency that has nothing whatsoever left to hide.
Continue to Part 109 — Three Foundations of Mindfulness, and Three States Requiring No Concealment →