Fear. Just the word has a certain resonance, evoking the corresponding feeling in our body and mind. And with the Coronavirus pandemic upon us, no doubt we are all having our moments of fear as we come to terms with what is happening in the world around.

But let’s take a moment or two to pause and consider what fear actually is. I think it is helpful to distinguish two kinds of fear.

Firstly, there is the fear that we feel when we are physically - and suddenly - threatened in some way. What happens here - a heightened sense awareness, raising of the heart rate, adrenalin pumping through our system - is a result of our evolutionary history. It is a nervous system response that has evolved over millions of years to protect us in times of danger - fight, flight or freeze. My own reading of this is that it is pre-volitional i.e. it happens outside of our conscious control and so is not something we have karmic responsibility for, although the point where the instinctual nervous system response conditions a volitional response might be difficult to locate exactly. In terms of Sangharakshita’s teaching on the Five Niyamas, this level of response would be attributed to the mano-niyama or mental non-volitional level.

Secondly, there is fear that we create as a result of our volitional habits and views. As in the Sutta of the Dart (Samyutta Nikaya 36.6), this is akin to the second dart or arrow which we inflict upon ourselves above and beyond the immediate physical response of pain and it is this kind of fear that is clearly in the air in our present times. And because it is volitional, we can take responsibility for it and change it.

In the Buddha’s account of his own fear - the Bhayabherava Sutta from the Majjhima Nikaya - he gives a long list of the conditions that can lead to unskilful fear and dread - being unpurified in bodily, verbal or mental conduct or in livelihood; being covetous and full of lust or with a mind full of ill will and hate; being overcome by sloth and torpor or restlessness and anxiety and doubt; being given to self-praise and disparagement of others; and onwards to being devoid of wisdom. As a result of these mental states, being in the jungle can plunder the mind of a recluse (or spiritual practitioner). But the Buddha, having purified himself of these mental poisons, sees dwelling in the forest as solace.

Nevertheless, before his Enlightenment, he too had to practice working with fear and dread and he resorted to what we would think of as mindfulness practice -

‘So at a later time — on recognized, designated nights such as the eighth, fourteenth, and fifteenth of the lunar fortnight — I stayed in the sort of places that are awe-inspiring and make your hair stand on end, such as park-shrines, forest-shrines, and tree-shrines. And while I was staying there a wild animal would come, or a peacock would make a twig fall, or wind would rustle the fallen leaves. The thought would occur to me: 'Is this that fear & terror coming?'

Then the thought occurred to me: 'Why do I just keep waiting for fear? What if I, in whatever state I'm in when fear and terror come to me, were to subdue that fear and terror in that very state?' So when fear and terror came to me while I was walking back and forth, I would not stand or sit or lie down. I would keep walking back and forth until I had subdued that fear and terror. When fear and terror came to me while I was standing, I would not walk or sit or lie down. I would keep standing until I had subdued that fear and terror. When fear and terror came to me while I was sitting, I would not lie down or stand up or walk. I would keep sitting until I had subdued that fear and terror. When fear and terror came to me while I was lying down, I would not sit up or stand or walk. I would keep lying down until I had subdued that fear and terror.’ (Trans. Thanissaro)

But fear, when it takes us over, is a driving emotion and can compel us to act. In the Buddhavagga of the Dhammapada, in a key passage for understanding what Going for Refuge means, the Buddha gives the following analogy -

‘Many people, out of fear (bhaya), flee for refuge to (sacred) hills, woods, groves, trees, and shrines. In reality this is not a safe refuge. In reality this is not the best refuge. Fleeing to such a refuge one is not released from all suffering.’ (Dhammapada vv 188/9 trans. Sangharakshita)

Using the imagery and associations of his time, the Buddha suggests we all, out of fear at the uncertainty and danger of our existential situation, seek refuge and safety. But most of us do this in a way that doesn’t lead to that safety we so dearly want. We seek refuge in things that won’t give us safety and which won’t release us from the sufferings of our precarious existence. He goes on to say -

‘He who goes for refuge to the Enlightened One, to the Truth, and to the Spiritual Community, and who sees with perfect wisdom the Four Ariyan Truths - namely, suffering, the origin of suffering, the passing beyond suffering, and the Ariyan Eightfold Way leading to the pacification of suffering - (for him) this is a safe refuge, (for him) this is the best refuge. Having gone to such a refuge, one is released from all suffering.’ (Dhammapada vv 190/2 trans. Sangharakshita)

So the Buddha seems to be suggesting that this kind of fear is what you might call rational fear - our predicament IS one of uncertainty and to realise and act upon that is sensible. However, we are too often deluded as to what will really provide alleviation from that predicament and we seek it in the wrong things.

The Coronavirus pandemic really just confronts us with our existential predicament. By disrupting our normal, rather comfortable and sheltered lives, it shows us more clearly our underlying volitional state and we can find ourselves frightened by the loss of loved ones, by our own mortality, and by the loss of the hopes and plans we have for our life. Confronted by this, we can too easily seek refuge in the wrong things, whether that be in the buying and hoarding of food, in watching box sets to distract ourselves, or in drink and drugs.

But we are just like the Buddha in the jungle and must master our fear through spiritual practice - through the practice of mindfulness; through purifying our minds of the various mental poisons; and through going for refuge to that which is a genuine source of safety - the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. By not allowing our minds to be plundered by the fear of what is going on around us., we can become fearless. And if we ourselves are fearless, we can give to others the gift of fearlessness (abhaya) that is so much needed in these unprecedented times.

Saccanama