Dighanikaya 19.318

19.318

Bhayanti cittutrāsabhayameva. Ajānantāti ajānamānā. Kathaṃ jānemu taṃ mayanti (dī. ni. 2.179) mayaṃ kinti taṃ jānāma, ayaṃ katthavāsiko, kinnāmo, kiṃ gottotiādīnaṃ ākārānaṃ kena ākārena taṃ dhārayāmāti attho.

"Fear" means simply the fear of mental agitation. "Not knowing" means without knowing. "How should we know you?" (DN 2.179): how do we know you? The meaning is: by what sign among such signs as "Where does this person live? What is his name? What is his clan?" do we recognise you?