Fear for offences

Bhikkhus, these four are the fears for offences. What four?

Bhikkhus, a robber, a highwayman is shown to the king- Lord, this is a robber a highwayman, mete the suitable punishment to him: Good ones bind this man's hands tightly behind his back, shave him closely and with the rough sound of a cymbal take him from street to street and from junction to junction, then impressively entering the city through the southern gate, to the south of the city cut his neck. Then the king's men bind that man's hands tightly behind his back, shave him closely and with the rough sound of a cymbal take him from street to street and from junction to junction, then impressively entering the city through the southern gate, to the south of the city they cut his neck. Then to a sensible on looker it occurs: This man has done some serious offence, and death is the punishment. The king's people binding his hands tightly behind his back, shaving him closely and with the rough sound of a cymbal taking him from street to street and from junction to junction have entered the city through the southern gate impressively, to the south of the city, they cut his neck. He will not do such an evil thing in this life; the penalty is death. In the same manner, bhikkhus, if a bhikkhu or bhikkhuni has the perception of fear for grave offences, this should be expected - I will not fall to a grave offence, that I have not yet fallen and I will do the suitable remedy for the offence I have already fallen to, according to the Teaching.

Bhikkhus, like a man taking a black piece of cloth and tying the hair down and holding a mortar against his body, would approach the crowds and would tell them: Sirs, I have done some evil, blame the mortar. I will do whatever to please the venerable one. Then to a sensible on looker it occurs: This man has done some serious offence, the punishment is to the mortar. Since he takes a black piece of cloth and tying the hair down and holding a mortar against his body, approaches the populace and says: Venerable sirs, I did some demerit, blame the mortar. I will do whatever to please the venerable ones. I will not do such demeritorious actions. The blame should be to the mortar. In the same manner, bhikkhus, if a bhikkhu or bhikkhuni has the perception of fear for offences that need a chapter of bhikkhus to be redressed, this should be expected - I will not fall for offences that need a chapter of bhikkhus to be redressed, (that I have not yet fallen} and I will do the suitable remedy for the offence I have already fallen to, according to the Teaching.

Bhikkhus, like a man taking a black piece of cloth and tying the hair down and bearing a knapsack on his back, would approach the crowds and would tell them: Sirs, I have done some evil, blame the knapsack. I will do whatever to please the venerable ones. Then to a sensible on looker it occurs: This man has done some serious offence, the punishment is to the knapsack. Since he takes a black piece of cloth and tying the hair down and bearing a knapsack on his body, approaches the populace and says: Venerable sirs, I did some demerit, blame the knapsack. I will do whatever to please the venerable ones. I will not do such demeritorious actions. The blame should be to the knapsack. In the same manner, bhikkhus, if a bhikkhu or bhikkhuni has the perception of fear for offences that need recalling mindfulness for expiation, this should be expected - I will not fall for offences that need recalling mindfulness for expiation that I have not yet fallen and I will do the suitable remedy for the offence I have already fallen to, according to the Teaching.

Bhikkhus, like a man taking a black piece of cloth and tying the hair down would approach the crowds and would tell them: Sirs, I have done some evil, blame the blameworthy. I will do whatever to please the venerable ones. Then to a sensible on looker it occurs: This man has done some offence, the punishment is to the blameworthy. Since he takes a black piece of cloth and tying the hair down approaches the populace and says: Venerable sirs, I did some demerit, blame the blameworthy. I will do whatever to please the venerable ones. I will not do such demeritorious actions. The blame should be to the blameworthy. In the same manner, bhikkhus, if a bhikkhu or bhikkhuni has the perception of fear for offences that need a confession for redress, this should be expected - I will not fall for offences that need confession to be redressed, that I have not yet fallen and I will do the suitable remedy for the offence I have already fallen to, according to the Teaching.

Bhikkhus, these are the four fears for offences.