[244] Bhikkhus, there are these four fears of offenses (āpattibhaya). What four?
Suppose, bhikkhus, people were to seize a thief, an evildoer, and show him to the king, saying: 'Sire, this is a thief, an evildoer. Let Your Majesty impose punishment upon him.' The king would say this to them: 'Go, sirs, bind this man's arms tightly behind his back with a strong rope, shave his head bald with a razor, lead him about from street to street, from crossroads to crossroads, to the beat of a harsh-sounding drum, take him out through the southern gate, and cut off his head to the south of the city.' Then the king's men would bind that man's arms tightly behind his back with a strong rope, shave his head bald with a razor, lead him about from street to street, from crossroads to crossroads, to the beat of a harsh-sounding drum, take him out through the southern gate, and cut off his head to the south of the city. There a certain man standing on the sidelines would think thus: 'Alas, sirs, this man has done an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of beheading, in that the king's men will bind his arms tightly behind his back with a strong rope, shave his head bald with a razor, lead him about from street to street, from crossroads to crossroads, to the beat of a harsh-sounding drum, take him out through the southern gate, and cut off his head to the south of the city. Oh, that this man had never done such an evil deed, deserving of beheading!' In just the same way, bhikkhus, for whatever bhikkhu or bhikkhunī there is present so keen a perception of fear regarding the pārājika offenses, it can be expected of that one that either, not having committed a pārājika offense, one will not commit it, or, having committed a pārājika offense, one will make amends for it in accordance with the Dhamma.
Suppose, bhikkhus, a man clad in a black cloth, with his hair disheveled, having placed a pestle on his shoulder, were to approach a great crowd of people and say this: 'Venerable sirs, I have done an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of the pestle. Whatever will make the venerable ones satisfied with me, that I will do.' There a certain man standing on the sidelines would think thus: 'Alas, sirs, this man has done an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of the pestle, in that, clad in a black cloth, with his hair disheveled, having placed a pestle on his shoulder, he will approach a great crowd of people and say this: "Venerable sirs, I have done an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of the pestle. Whatever will make the venerable ones satisfied with me, that I will do." Oh, that this man had never done such an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of the pestle!' In just the same way, bhikkhus, for whatever bhikkhu or bhikkhunī there is present so keen a perception of fear regarding the saṅghādisesa offenses, it can be expected of that one that either, not having committed a saṅghādisesa offense, one will not commit it, or, having committed a saṅghādisesa offense, one will make amends for it in accordance with the Dhamma.
Suppose, bhikkhus, a man clad in a black cloth, with his hair disheveled, having placed a sack of ashes (assapuṭa) on his shoulder, were to approach a great crowd of people and say this: 'Venerable sirs, I have done an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of the sack of ashes. Whatever will make the venerable ones satisfied with me, that I will do.' There a certain man standing on the sidelines would think thus: 'Alas, sirs, this man has done an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of the sack of ashes, in that, clad in a black cloth, with his hair disheveled, having placed a sack of ashes on his shoulder, he will approach a great crowd of people and say this: "Venerable sirs, I have done an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of the sack of ashes. Whatever will make the venerable ones satisfied with me, that I will do." Oh, that this man had never done such an evil deed, deserving of the sack of ashes!' In just the same way, bhikkhus, for whatever bhikkhu or bhikkhunī there is present so keen a perception of fear regarding the pācittiya offenses, it can be expected of that one that either, not having committed a pācittiya offense, one will not commit it, or, having committed a pācittiya offense, one will make amends for it in accordance with the Dhamma.
Suppose, bhikkhus, a man clad in a black cloth, with his hair disheveled, were to approach a great crowd of people and say this: 'Venerable sirs, I have done an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of censure. Whatever will make the venerable ones satisfied with me, that I will do.' There a certain man standing on the sidelines would think thus: 'Alas, sirs, this man has done an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of censure, in that, clad in a black cloth, with his hair disheveled, he will approach a great crowd of people and say this: "Venerable sirs, I have done an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of censure. Whatever will make the venerable ones satisfied with me, that I will do." Oh, that this man had never done such an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of censure!' In just the same way, bhikkhus, for whatever bhikkhu or bhikkhunī there is present so keen a perception of fear regarding the pāṭidesanīya offenses, it can be expected of that one that either, not having committed a pāṭidesanīya offense, one will not commit it, or, having committed a pāṭidesanīya offense, one will make amends for it in accordance with the Dhamma.
These, bhikkhus, are the four fears of offenses.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.