In considering the four fearlessnesses of a bodhisattva, some people may be daunted at the thought of the difficulty of preaching the Law to others. However, we must not be afraid. These four categories describe the ideal preacher, and if one attains such a stage, then indeed one will have become a great bodhisattva. No great bodhisattva becomes so without effort; he reaches such a stage only after a long practice of severe discipline.

We, who train ourselves in the bodhisattva practice, must always preach the Law by bearing in mind the four ideals of the bodhisattva and by taking these four ideals as our yardstick. When we meet with a difficult problem or are asked questions that we do not know how to answer, we should say so frankly: “As this question is beyond me, I will ask somebody for instruction and then I will answer you.” We must not dream up an answer just to make it through the occasion somehow. To say “I am not sure” does not lower us in the estimation of others as preachers but results in increasing the confidence of our listeners.

An explanation of the four fearlessnesses can be found here.