Four fearlessnesses
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[[[四無所畏]]・四無畏] (Jpn shi-mushoi or shi-mui )
Four types of confidence possessed by Buddhas and bodhisattvas. The four fearlessnesses of a Buddha are distinct from those of bodhisattvas.
The four fearlessnesses of a Buddha are
- (1) fearlessness in declaring oneself to be enlightened to the truth of all phenomena,
- (2) fearlessness in proclaiming oneself to have extinguished all desires and illusions,
- (3) fearlessness in proclaiming oneself to have elucidated the obstacles to Buddhist practice and enlightenment, and
- (4) fearlessness in declaring oneself to have clarified the way of liberation from the world of suffering, and thus the way of attaining emancipation.
The four fearlessnesses of the bodhisattva are
- (1) fearlessness in continually memorizing the Buddhist teachings, and in expounding the meaning of these teachings,
- (2) fearlessness in perceiving the people's inherent capacities, and in expounding the teachings according to those capacities,
- (3) fearlessness in resolving the people's doubts, and
- (4) fearlessness in answering any question.
The term fearlessness derives from the Sanskrit word vaisharadya, and here implies dauntless courage and unwavering confidence; it is regarded as one of the virtues of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
