Freedom from Fear

1. Creating thousand hands with weapons 
armed was Mara seated on the trumpeting, 
ferocious elephant, Girimekhala.
Him, together with his army, did the Lord of Sages
subdue by means of generosity and other virtues.
By its grace, may joyous victory be thine.

Bāhuṃ sahassamabhinimmita-sāyudhantaṃ
Girimekhalaṃ uditaghora-sasenamāraṃ
Dānādi-dhammavidhinā jitavā munindo
Taṃ tejasā bhavatu to jayamaṅgalāni

2. More violent than Mara was the indocile,
obstinate demon, Ālavaka who battled with the Buddha
throughout the whole night.
Him, did the Lord of Sages subdue by means of
His patience and self-control.
By its grace, may joyous victory be thine.

Mārātirekamabhiyujjhita-sabbarattiṃ
Ghorampanālavakamakkhamathaddha-yakkhaṃ
Khantī-sudanta-vidhinā jitavā munindo
Taṃ tejasā bhavatu to jayamaṅgalāni

- Jayamaṅgala Gāthā : Stanzas of Victory and Blessing

Sutta on Fear & Terror

'.. "The thought occurred to me: 'What if — on recognized, designated nights such as the eighth, fourteenth, & fifteenth of the lunar fortnight — I were to stay in the sort of places that are awe-inspiring and make your hair stand on end, such as park-shrines, forest-shrines, & tree-shrines? Perhaps I would get to see that fear & terror.' So at a later time — on recognized, designated nights such as the eighth, fourteenth, & 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, & 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 & terror come to me, were to subdue that fear & terror in that very state?' So when fear & terror came to me while I was walking back & forth, I would not stand or sit or lie down. I would keep walking back & forth until I had subdued that fear & terror. When fear & 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 & terror. When fear & 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 & terror. When fear & 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 & terror. ...

"Unflagging persistence was aroused in me, and unmuddled mindfulness established. My body was calm & unaroused, my mind concentrated & single. Quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, I entered & remained in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, I entered & remained in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture I remained in equanimity, mindful & alert, and physically sensitive of pleasure. I entered & remained in the third jhana, of which the noble ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — I entered & remained in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain.

"When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, & attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of recollecting my past lives. I recollected my manifold past lives, ..."

"This was the first knowledge I attained in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed; light arose — as happens in one who is heedful, ardent, & resolute.

"When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, & attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of the passing away & reappearance of beings. I saw — by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — beings passing away & re-appearing, and I discerned how they are inferior & superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma: ... "

"This was the second knowledge I attained in the second watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed; light arose — as happens in one who is heedful, ardent, & resolute.

"When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, & attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of the ending of the mental fermentations. I discerned, as it had come to be, that 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress... These are fermentations... This is the origination of fermentations... This is the cessation of fermentations... This is the way leading to the cessation of fermentations.' My heart, thus knowing, thus seeing, was released from the fermentation of sensuality, released from the fermentation of becoming, released from the fermentation of ignorance. With release, there was the knowledge, 'Released.' I discerned that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'

"This was the third knowledge I attained in the third watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed; light arose — as happens in one who is heedful, ardent, & resolute. ..."

Bhaya-bherava Sutta: Fear & Terror MN4
Source: www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.004.than.html

Dhamma Sharing on 'Live a Fearless Life'
by Ajahn Brahm. Follow this link ...
https://youtu.be/2nX5hHrLQpw

Dhamma Sharing on 'How To Live Without Fear And Worry'
by Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera. Follow this link ... https://youtu.be/LPOUjCA9qY4

Dhamma Sharing on 'The Fearless Mind, Lay Retreat'
by Ajahn Sumedho. Follow this link ...  
www.amaravati.org/audio/the-fearless-mind-lay-retreat/

Picture : Standing Buddha rūpa showing the Abhaya Mudra
'The Abhaya mudra (mudra of no-fear) represents protection, peace, benevolence, and dispelling of fear.'
Source : www.burmese-art.com/about-buddh…/hand-positions/abhaya-mudra