BANISH ALL FEAR
Categories: Chapter I - The Twin-VersesBooks: Mastery of Self
It is on such considerations that I have come to hold that all
real fear-FEELING should and may be banished from our life, and
that what we call "normal fear" should be substituted in our
language by "instinct" or by "reason," the element of fear being
dropped altogether
"Everyone can testify that the psychical state called fear
consists of mental representations of certain painful results"<
(James) The mental representations may be very faint as such, but
the idea of hurt to self is surely present If, then, it can be
profoundly believed that the real self cannot be hurt; if the
reason can be brought to consider vividly and believingly all
quieting considerations; if the self can be held consciously in
the assurance that the White Life surrounds the true self, and is
surely within that self, and will suffer "no evil to come nigh,"
while all the instincts of self--preservation may be perfectly
active, fear itself must be removed "as far as the east is from
the west"
This splendid conviction I earnestly commend to all readers
These are the ways, then, in which any occasion for fear may be
divided:
As a warning and as a maker of panic But let us say that the
warning should be understood as given to reason, that fear need
not appear at all, and that the panic is perfectly useless pain
With these discriminations in mind, we may now go on to a
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And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the
And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the immortal place, a life of one day is better if a man sees the immortal place ... And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the
And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the highest law, a life of one day is better if a man sees the highest law Evil ... AND PSYCHIC RIGHTEOUSNESS
The ALL-IMPORTANT departments of your personality are those of PSYCHIC RIGHTEOUSNESS and PSYCHIC MAGNETISM But the IDEAL MAN of success is the WHOLE MAN always AT HIS BEST The whole man is more than psychic development; he is a PRODUCT ... And the man who gives himself to drinking intoxicating liquors, he,
And the man who gives himself to drinking intoxicating liquors, he, even in this world, digs up his own root ... And this is the beginning here for a wise Bhikshu:
And this is the beginning here for a wise Bhikshu: watchfulness over the senses, contentedness, restraint under the law; keep noble friends whose life is pure, and who are not slothful ... And when (one with the highest excellence) does not wrangle
And when (one with the highest excellence) does not wrangle (about his low position), no one finds fault with him ... And when the evil deed, after it has become known,
And when the evil deed, after it has become known, brings sorrow to the fool, then it destroys his bright lot, nay, it cleaves his head ... ANNOUNCEMENT
"For all may have, If they dare choose, a glorious life" --Herbert I have received many letters from people who are distressed by their fears To every such an one let me send this a... As a cowherd with his staff drives his cows into
As a cowherd with his staff drives his cows into the stable, so do Age and Death drive the life of men ... As a fish taken from his watery home and thrown
As a fish taken from his watery home and thrown on dry ground, our thought trembles all over in order to escape the dominion of Mara (the tempter) ... As a fletcher makes straight his arrow, a wise man
As a fletcher makes straight his arrow, a wise man makes straight his trembling and unsteady thought, which is difficult to guard, difficult to hold back ... As a grass-blade, if badly grasped, cuts the arm, badly-practised asceticism
As a grass-blade, if badly grasped, cuts the arm, badly-practised asceticism leads to hell ... As a solid rock is not shaken by the wind,
As a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, wise people falter not amidst blame and praise ... As a tree, even though it has been cut down,
As a tree, even though it has been cut down, is firm so long as its root is safe, and grows again, thus, unless the feeders of thirst are destroyed, the pain (of life) will return again and again ... As long as the evil deed done does not bear
As long as the evil deed done does not bear fruit, the fool thinks it is like honey; but when it ripens, then the fool suffers grief ... As many kinds of wreaths can be made from a
As many kinds of wreaths can be made from a heap of flowers, so many good things may be achieved by a mortal when once he is born ... As rain breaks through an ill-thatched house, passion will break through
As rain breaks through an ill-thatched house, passion will break through an unreflecting mind ... As rain does not break through a well-thatched house, passion
As rain does not break through a well-thatched house, passion will not break through a well-reflecting mind ... As soon as he has considered the origin and destruction
As soon as he has considered the origin and destruction of the elements (khandha) of the body, he finds happiness and joy which belong to those who know the immortal (Nirvana) ... As soon as it proceeds to action, it has a
As soon as it proceeds to action, it has a name When it once has that name, (men) can know to rest in it When they know to rest in it, they can be free from all risk of failure and error ... As the bee collects nectar and departs without injuring the flower,
As the bee collects nectar and departs without injuring the flower, or its colour or scent, so let a sage dwell in his village ... As the impurity which springs from the iron, when it
As the impurity which springs from the iron, when it springs from it, destroys it; thus do a transgressor's own works lead him to the evil path ... As the Vassika plant sheds its withered flowers, men should
As the Vassika plant sheds its withered flowers, men should shed passion and hatred, O ye Bhikshus! ... Bad conduct is the taint of woman, greediness the taint
Bad conduct is the taint of woman, greediness the taint of a benefactor; tainted are all evil ways in this world and in the next ... Bad deeds, and deeds hurtful to ourselves, are easy to
Bad deeds, and deeds hurtful to ourselves, are easy to do; what is beneficial and good, that is very difficult to do ... BANISH ALL FEAR
It is on such considerations that I have come to hold that all real fear-FEELING should and may be banished from our life, and that what we call "normal fear" should be substituted in our language by "instinct" or by "reason," the element of fear... Be not thoughtless, watch your thoughts! Draw yourself out
Be not thoughtless, watch your thoughts! Draw yourself out of the evil way, like an elephant sunk in mud ... Because a man is rid of evil, therefore he is
Because a man is rid of evil, therefore he is called Brahmana; because he walks quietly, therefore he is called Samana; because he has sent away his own impurities, therefore he is called Pravragita (Pabbagita, a pilgrim) ... Before long, alas! this body will lie on the earth,
Before long, alas! this body will lie on the earth, despised, without understanding, like a useless log ... Better it would be to swallow a heated iron ball,
Better it would be to swallow a heated iron ball, like flaring fire, than that a bad unrestrained fellow should live on the charity of the land ... Better than sovereignty over the earth, better than going to heaven,
Better than sovereignty over the earth, better than going to heaven, better than lordship over all worlds, is the reward of the first step in holiness The Buddha (The Awakened) ... Beware of bodily anger, and control thy body! Leave
Beware of bodily anger, and control thy body! Leave the sins of the body, and with thy body practise virtue! ... Beware of the anger of the mind, and control thy
Beware of the anger of the mind, and control thy mind! Leave the sins of the mind, and practise virtue with thy mind! ... Beware of the anger of the tongue, and control thy
Beware of the anger of the tongue, and control thy tongue! Leave the sins of the tongue, and practise virtue with thy tongue! ... Bimbisara Raga Becomes A Disciple
And now those five men, Asvagit Vashpa, and the others, having heard that he (Kaundinya) "knew" the law, with humble mien and self-subdued, their hands joined, offered their homage, and looked with reverence in the teacher's face. Tathagata, by wi... Bimbisara Raga Invites The Prince
The royal prince, departing from the court-master (i.e. the Purohita) and the great minister, Saddharma, keeping along the stream, then crossing the Ganges, he took the road towards the Vulture Peak,[99] hidden among the five mountains, standi... But he who has cleansed himself from sin, is well
But he who has cleansed himself from sin, is well grounded in all virtues, and regards also temperance and truth, he is indeed worthy of the yellow dress ... But he who lives a hundred years, vicious and unrestrained,
But he who lives a hundred years, vicious and unrestrained, a life of one day is better if a man is virtuous and reflecting ... But I have heard that he who is skilful in
But I have heard that he who is skilful in managing the life entrusted to him for a time travels on the land without having to shun rhinoceros or tiger, and enters a host without having to avoid buff coat or sharp weapon The rhinoceros finds no place ... But I have three precious things which I prize and
But I have three precious things which I prize and hold fast The first is gentleness; the second is economy; and the third is shrinking from taking precedence of others ... But life is hard to live for a modest man,
But life is hard to live for a modest man, who always looks for what is pure, who is disinterested, quiet, spotless, and intelligent ... But that is not a safe refuge, that is not
But that is not a safe refuge, that is not the best refuge; a man is not delivered from all pains after having gone to that refuge ... But there is a taint worse than all taints,--ignorance is
But there is a taint worse than all taints,--ignorance is the greatest taint O mendicants! throw off that taint, and become taintless! ... But they whose whole watchfulness is always directed to their body,
But they whose whole watchfulness is always directed to their body, who do not follow what ought not to be done, and who steadfastly do what ought to be done, the desires of such watchful and wise people will come to an end ... But those who, when the law has been well preached
But those who, when the law has been well preached to them, follow the law, will pass across the dominion of death, however difficult to overcome ... But, like a beautiful flower, full of colour and full
But, like a beautiful flower, full of colour and full of scent, are the fine and fruitful words of him who acts accordingly ... By earnestness did Maghavan (Indra) rise to the lordship of
By earnestness did Maghavan (Indra) rise to the lordship of the gods People praise earnestness; thoughtlessness is always blamed ... By oneself the evil is done, by oneself one suffers;
By oneself the evil is done, by oneself one suffers; by oneself evil is left undone, by oneself one is purified Purity and impurity belong to oneself, no one can purify another ... By rousing himself, by earnestness, by restraint and control, the wise
By rousing himself, by earnestness, by restraint and control, the wise man may make for himself an island which no flood can overwhelm ... Cleansing The Unclean
Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:-- O most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! To whom shall they apply here below, who want to cleanse their body defiled by the dead? Ahura Mazda answered:-- "To a pious man, O Spit...