WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE AFRAID? - A Carnival of Fear (1)

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.

This is a part of a collection of gradual talks that will explore the Buddha's Teachings on Fear - the qualities we are encouraged to develop to overcome fear, how fear is constructed, the arising of fear, the dangers, challenges and the escape. We begin with shorter teachings from the Buddha and noble arahants, and eventually examine the longer teachings that will help to correct any wrong views and deepen our practice.

It is an encouragement towards standing firmly on the Dhamma to acknowledge, understand, deal with and overcome fear. The world presents us with external challenges and uncertainties, and we have the means to bear with these external difficulties as well as to work through internal fears with the Buddha's teachings.

In this first session we look at "WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE AFRAID?" - a question to the Buddha from deva or divine being in the Bhītā Sutta (SN 1.75). The Buddha's answer reminds us to cultivate good conduct, as well as standing on four good qualities, which will enable us to be unafraid or less afraid. It really reminds us of the core foundations of our spiritual practice in walking the Noble Eightfold Path.

Suttas mentioned directly or indirectly in this talk include:

• – Sādhu Sutta (AN 10.178)
• – Vitthata Sutta (AN 5.2)
• – Karaṇīyamettā Sutta (Snp 1.8)
• – Dāna Sutta (Iti 98)
• – Macchari Sutta (SN 1.49)
• – Paṭhamasaṁvāsa Sutta (AN 4.53)

To read the Bhītā Sutta (SN 1.75) - https://suttacentral.net/sn1.75/en/bodhi

Bohoma pin to the people who have been fearless in acknowledging fear and asking questions on how to deal with and overcome fear.

The VIDEO with slides has been uploaded to the Sutta Meditation Series podcast channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkcGPZ4CxgY AND on Spotify as a video podcast

Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai