The Related Discourses
13. Factors of the Noble Path
11 (758). Fear of Losing Mother or Son
1. Thus I have heard:[1] One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī.
2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “Foolish and untaught ordinary men talk about the fear of lacking a mother or son and the fear of having a mother or son, but they can’t understand the fear of lacking a mother or son or the fear of having a mother or son.
3. “Monks, there are three fears of lacking a mother or son that are discussed by foolish and untaught ordinary men. What are the three? Monks, there are times when warfare and disorder arise that harm a country. Consequently, [refugees] flow out in waves and floods. Sons lose their mothers, and mothers lose their sons. This is called the first fear of lacking a mother or son that’s discussed by foolish and untaught ordinary men.
4. “Furthermore, monks, there are times when great fires arise that burn cities, towns, and villages. The people flee, and mothers and sons lose each other. This is called the second fear of lacking a mother or son that’s discussed by foolish and untaught ordinary men.
5. “Furthermore, monks, there are times when great rains in the mountains cause the rivers to flood and wash villages away. The people flee, and mothers and sons lose each other. This is called the third fear of lacking a mother or son.
6. “Indeed, these fears are the fears of having a mother or son, which foolish and untaught ordinary men call the fears of lacking a mother or son when discussing them. In those times when warfare and disorder arise that harm a country, [refugees] flow out in waves and floods, and mothers and sons lose each other, those same mothers and sons sometimes find each other. This is called the first fear of having a mother or son that foolish and untaught ordinary men call the fear of lacking a mother or son.
7. “Furthermore, great fires arise that burn cities, towns, and villages, and the people flee. Mothers and sons lose each other, but they sometimes find each other again. This is called the second fear of having a mother or son that foolish and untaught ordinary men call a fear of lacking a mother or son.
8. “Furthermore, great rains in the mountains cause the rivers to flood and wash villages away. The people flee, and mothers and sons lose each other, but some search for and find each other. This is the third fear of having a mother or son that foolish and untaught ordinary men call a fear of lacking a mother or son.
9. “Monks, I describe three fears of lacking a mother or son as a self-realized Completely Awakened One. What are the three? Suppose, monks, that when a son is elderly, he lacks a mother who can say, ‘Son, don’t become old; I’ll take your place.’ When a mother is elderly, she also lacks a son who can say, ‘Mother, I’ll be old now; I’ll take your place as the elderly one.’ This is called the first fear of lacking a mother or son that I describe as a self-realized Completely Awakened One.
10. “Furthermore, monks, there are times when a son is sick, and his mother cannot say, ‘Son, don’t be sick now; I will take your place.’ During times when a mother is sick, her son also cannot say, ‘Mother, don’t be sick; I’ll take your place, mother.’ This is called the second fear of lacking a mother or son that I describe as a self-realized Completely Awakened One.
11. “Furthermore, when a son dies, he has no mother who can say, ‘Son, don’t die now; I’ll take your place.’ When a mother dies, she has no son who can say, ‘Mother, don’t die now; I will take your place.’ This is called the third fear of lacking a mother or son that I describe as a self-realized Completely Awakened One.”
12. The monks said to the Buddha, “Isn’t there a path and steps to put an end to the first three fears of having a mother or son and the other three fears of lacking a mother or son when cultivated and cultivated often?”
13. The Buddha told the monks, “There is a path and steps that put an end to those three fears. What is that path and what are those steps to put an end to the first three fears of having a mother or son and the other three fears of lacking a mother or son when cultivated and cultivated often? It’s the noble eightfold path, which is right view, right intent, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right method, right mindfulness, and right samādhi.”
14. After the Buddha spoke this sūtra, the monks who heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved.
Notes
Translator: Charles Patton
Last Revised: 1 November 2022
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