Aṇguttara Nikāya
VIII. Aṭṭhaka Nipāta
VII. Bhūmi-Cāla Vagga
The Book of Eights
Sutta 65
Abhibhāyatana Suttaṃ
The Spheres of Mastery
Over Fear
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Translator's Introduction
This sutta can be clearly understood if one sees that what is being addressed is experiences one will have — in the ordinary state, but primarily in sit-down practice. It is not an instruction as to how to overcome fear so much as a description of the various generic forms in which fear might present itself from extra-ordinary perceptions of the self and the world.
The fear arises when, say, one is meditating along and the world and living beings are suddenly seen as minuscule. The fear is overcome in that sphere by recognizing that there is nothing in that situation that is or can affect one because there is nothing there that is that self to be affected. Never was, never will be. Easy to understand, not so easy to accomplish.
Once upon a time The Lucky Man, Sāvatthi Town revisiting.
There, to the Beggars gathered round he said:
"Beggars!"
And, "Bhante!" they responded.
"There are, beggars, these eight spheres of mastery over fear.[1]
What eight?
When perceiving personal[2] form,
one sees external[3] forms
tiny,
beautiful or ugly,
there is the perception:
'The mastery of fear is known and seen': —
This the first sphere of mastery over fear.
When perceiving personal form,
one sees external forms,
gigantic,
beautiful or ugly,
there is the perception:
'The mastery of fear is known and seen': —
This the second sphere of mastery over fear.
When perceiving personal immateriality
one sees external forms,
tiny,
beautiful or ugly,
there is the perception:
'The mastery of fear is known and seen': —
This the third sphere of mastery over fear.
When perceiving personal formlessness
one sees external forms,
gigantic,
beautiful or ugly,
there is the perception:
'The mastery of fear is known and seen': —
This the fourth sphere of mastery over fear.
When perceiving personal formlessness
one sees external forms,
blue,
of a blue color,
blue in all directions
radiantly blue,
there is the perception:
'The mastery of fear is known and seen': —
This the fifth sphere of mastery over fear.
When perceiving personal formlessness
one sees external forms,
yellow,
of a yellow color,
yellow in all directions
radiantly yellow,
there is the perception:
'The mastery of fear is known and seen': —
This the sixth sphere of mastery over fear.
When perceiving personal formlessness
one sees external forms,
red,
of a red color,
red in all directions
radiantly red,
there is the perception:
'The mastery of fear is known and seen': —
This the seventh sphere of mastery over fear.
When perceiving personal formlessness
one sees external forms,
white,
of a white color,
white in all directions
radiantly white,
there is the perception:
'The mastery of fear is known and seen': —
This the eighth sphere of mastery over fear.
These then, beggars, are the eight spheres of mastery over fear."
[1] Abhibhāyatanāni. PED gives: abhibhū + āyatana. Āyatana is 'sphere'; Ābhibhū is 'Overlord', referring to the idea of lordship (Childers: 'vanquisher'; CPD: sovereign, also: defeater, ruler) and also to the ruler of the sphere of non-perception. But also there is Abhibhūta: overcoming, or being overwhelmed, with specific reference to the diversions (hindrances, nīvaraṇā). Bhk. Bodhi accepts the commentarial explanation that these 'are approaches to the kasiṇas' and are describing the mastering or overcoming of the adverse qualities of such. To me this explains nothing and does not fit the word. How in this scheme are these 'spheres'? (OK, they are often round in the form which is known to Buddhaghosa, but what he calls a kasiṇa is a later 'abstract' version. For example, the earth kasiṇa which he has is a round 'sphere' of earth, but its original form was simply a plowed field; the 'wind' kasiṇa was just the perception of leaves blowing in the wind, etc.) I think the meaning needs to be found in the terms themselves. For that I think it is not unreasonable to see that this word can also be broken down into: abhi + bhāya. Over-fear. Or putting the two definitions together (which I believe is often what was intended in the original coining of words) 'Overcoming fear' or 'Mastering Fear', the Spheres of Mastery Over Fear (or over those things which cause fear, such as 'passion' and the nīvaraṇā). At the end of the Eights (AN 8.92) that is exactly the meaning given to this group of ideas: that is that they are to be understood for the overcoming of passion.
[2] Ajjhatta. adhi + atta = over + self or: encompassing that which is held by the self. Hare: personally, Bhks. Bodhi and Thanissaro: internally. The idea is that which is identified as the self; the generic form (internal) used is because different beings regard different things as the self.
[3] Bahiddhā. Bahi + dha Outside + held. In opposition to Ajjhatta. External, impersonal, that which is 'held to be outside' Again the generic form is used because different individuals hold different ideas as to what belongs to the self and what belongs to the outside.
References:
DN 33.8 where I have translated this differently and drawn some different conclusions as to its meaning. (linked to the Pāḷi and PTS)
M. ii, 13;
AN 1.440 ff. Olds (linked to the Pāḷi and PTS).
AN 10.29 (Cf. AN 10.29 Thanissaro
AN 8.92 which repeats this sutta prefaced by: 'For the complete understanding of passion these eight ...'
DN 33.8.11
