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Dharma Thoughts
62 EASTERN HORIZON | DHARMA THOUGHTS

ignorance, (the inability to see things as they really the Noble Eightfold Path. It is good to bear in mind that
are) gives rise to the delusion of a permanent entity the goal is not to destroy the self, because a self does not
called a ‘self’ which feels threatened in some way or exist in the first place. What needs to be destroyed is the
another. So it is False Evidence Appearing Real. Fear is delusion that such a self exists.
closely associated with low self esteem when one feels
unable to confront a perceived threat. As a result, fear When one realizes the inherent dangers that come with
manifests itself through negative feelings like jealousy wrong views and begins to understand the enormity
and suspicion. The lower the self- esteem the higher the of suffering caused by having to wander in saṃsāra,
level of these emotions. then one develops a healthy fear which has its roots
in wisdom. There are two kinds of such fear – Hiri and
Along with this idea of a self comes the attachment to Ottappa, moral dread and moral shame. This is the
it and a desire to protect it against any perceived threat fear to do evil because of its consequences and the
to its well-being. Fear arises when one feels unable to shame to do wrong because it degrades our status as
overcome the threat. So fear is caused by the attachment humans. As long as one strives to reach perfection one
to a ‘self’ and the conviction that things exist ‘out there’ should be guided by Hiri and Ottappa. One needs no
independent of our mind. There are two sources of fear, God or fear of punishment to do this. While unhealthy
internal and external. Internal fear is due to the fear of fear is counter-productive and debilitating, healthy
pain and death while external fear arises due to the fear fear is a powerful aid in helping a disciple on the path
of punishment or natural calamities. to perfection. It is clear therefore that all fear is the
result of mental defilements. When one is steeped in
How do we fight fear? If fear is caused by ignorance, ignorance one mistakes the unreal for the real and thus
then wisdom, the ability to see things as they really feels threatened. But we also saw that healthy fear can
are become the only antidote. The Buddha says that arise from the fear of wrong doing or inviting blame.
the only beings who are truly unafraid are arhats Knowledge helps us differentiate between wrong and
(enlightened beings) because they have completely rid right behavior.
themselves of the illusion of an enduring personality,
or nin-self (anattā). For an arhat, there is no-thing to In the final analysis fear is a state of mind and if we
be endangered, as much as there is no-thing to pose want to combat it we should pay attention to how the
that danger. It is interesting to note that fear is always mind operates. The undeveloped mind is subject to
a possibility, something that will happen in the future. the defilements, namely greed, aversion, and delusion.
Arhats only live in the present moment, so the question These defilements can be eradicated by purifying
of fear cannot arise in them. There is a story of a fierce the mind. The first step to achieve this is to practice
warrior who threatened an old monk by saying, “Do virtue. When one develops a mind of harmlessness one
you know that you are looking at a man who can run automatically shields oneself from external dangers.
this sword through you and not feel a thing?” The monk This is why arhats do not need to experience fear.
replied softly, “And do you know that you are looking at “Wheresoever fear arises, it arises in the fool. Not in the
a man who can be run through and not feel a thing?”. wise man”.

Not all fear is bad or undesirable. The Buddha teaches Fear arises in an undeveloped mind, but it can be
that there are two kinds of fear, the unhealthy and the overcome by purifying the mind with virtuous behavior
healthy. When one acts out of ignorance, unhealthy and understanding.
fear arises which can lead to an enormous amount of
suffering. But when one develops wisdom, however dim, Fear can stand for Forget Everything And Run or Face
to understand the nature of human existence one can Everything And Rise.
begin to work towards the destruction of the delusion
of a self. This is Right Understanding, the first step on The choice is yours. EH