The Buddha is the Bravest among Human Beings

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

• From a chapter in the book - The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived by Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero

In the whole of human history no person braver than the Buddha has been born, to-date. The feeling called 'fear' had been totally eliminated from his being, forever. The only cause for 'fear' is craving. ([[Tanhaya jayati bhayam).

Craving brings fear into being. The expression 'bhaya' is a word for sense-desires. Why is it considered a word for sense-desires? The person who is agitated by sense-desires gets attached to phenomena. He will not free himself from the fears that occur in this world. In consequence, the word'fear' (bhaya) is yetanother synonym for sense-desire.

People experience fear due to several reasons. Beings are likely to feel a sense of fear because of their love of life, because of their attachment to their spouses and children, their attachment to their houses and lands and other property.The Buddha does not have any such possessions to which he wanted to feel attached. As a result he had a surprising fearlessness. No trepidation or trembling could happen in him in any way. Once, the Budaha said:

"that people, when they are shaken by fear to to rocks, forests, groves for protection and refuge."

The Buddha stated that fear is a mean quality and a blemish that found in human beings, and that a human being should never be frightened of another human being or even of a demon , for that matter.

Shame and fear should be there only when it comes to committing evil actions. One must befrightened and ahamed only when one does wrong things. One must not be frightened by people. The Buddha, who is the supreme symbol of fearlessness, never frightened others. cowards became brave and fearless when they sw the Buddha. If thosed monks living in the forest experiencedfear, they were asked to think of the Buddha. They were advisec to think of the Buddha and be fearless. The Buddha stated:

"O Monks, I will advise you this way. Whenyou go to the forest, or to the foot of a tree, or to an abandoned house, if you experience a fear a trepidation, or if you experience, your hair standing on end with horror, then just think of me."

(Dhajagga Sutta)

'Alavaka the demon who threatened to take him by his feet and throw him into cutter-space. Angulimala the murderer who ran towards him to kill him, the intoxicated elephant Nalagiri which ware was deployed along the main road to trample and break him, suciroma the demon who tried to pierce him with his body-hair, Saccaka who tried to make him perspire through his debating skill, the chief of Asuras, whowas proud of his physical stature, for-shousand eight-hundred yojanas in height. Baka who had the illusion that there was none greater than him ascetic Uruvela Kassapa who boasted that there were no Buddhas like him in world, and devadatta who hurled a stone at him, were all subdued by the Buddha, stated the author of the classic Butsarana, upholding the Buddha's fearlessness.

When Alavaka saw the Buddha in his abode, he ordered the Buddha to leve his house. The Buddha left, saying,"All right, friend." Alavaka called him in again. The Buddhawas ordered this way three times. On the fourth occassion the Buddha said fearlessly, "No, I am not leaving. do whatever you can." Then Alavaka said, "Monk, I will ask you a question. If you do not answer me I will make you deranged. I will split your heart. Or else, I will throw you to outer-space, taking you by your two feet."

On hearing this the Buddha fearlessly responded,

"Alavaka, I have not seen anyone either in the world of space of gods, maras and Brahmas, or in the world of terrestrial beings, anyone capable either of making me deranged, or else splitting my heart, or throwing me to out-space, take me by my feet. But, whatever that may be, if you feel so, you can ask me any question you like."

A Brhmin called Sela went to see the Buddha with a retinue of three-hundred youg Brahmins. When nearing the place where the Buddha was, Sela addressed the young men this way:

"Friengs, do not make much noise. Tread softly and come along. friends, Buddhas are like lions, they live alone. It is difficult to get near them. When I talk to ascetic Gotama, do not interrupt. You come in only after I have spoken to him."

This clearly established that even Brahmins, learned in the three vedas, had an awe towards the Buddha. The Buddha, speaking about himself, once said,

"After hypnotizing all my enemies, bringing them all under my sway, I live in joy without fear. "Others said of him,"Sir, you are a lion king who has shed all fears."

Such ferocious demons as Alavaka, Suciroma, Khararoma and Aravala, such naga chieftains like Culodara, Mahodara, Agnisikha, Dhumasikha, Mucalinda, such debators as Saccka, such young men like Ambatta, such proud Brahmins like Pokkharasati, Sona Danda, Kuta Danta and Kasibharadvaja, and such king elephants like Nalagiri, knelt before the Buddha.

All those who follow such a fearless religious leader must themselves become fearless. They must be people who could not know what fear is. Being cowardly is a shame on humanity. It is demeaning to Buddhists. It is degarding for one human being to be frightened of another. One must not be afraid of either parents, teachers, elders, demons, gods, even of the Buddha. We must respect those noble beings.

We must be obedient to them. We must care for them. But, we must not be frightened of them. People are frightened when they do wrong.

Fear is a blemish that occurs when we do wrong, or due to ignorance, or due to craving. It is a weakness. This blemish is not found in Arahants or in Buddhas. One must be frightened of,not people but of doing wrong.

therefore, if you want to be true Buddhists, follow the Buddha and cultivate within you fearlessness which was a very significant quality of the Buddha.