MN 144 Advice to Channa – Channovādasutta

Medium Discourses Collection 144 – Majjhima Nikāya 144

1.1

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

1.2

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

2.1

Now at that time the venerables Sāriputta, Mahācunda, and Channa were staying on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahācundo āyasmā ca channo gijjhakūṭe pabbate viharanti.

3.1

Now at that time Venerable Channa was sick, suffering, gravely ill.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā channo ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.

3.2

Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Sāriputta came out of retreat, went to Venerable Mahācunda and said to him,

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā mahācundo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahācundaṁ etadavoca:

3.3

“Come, Reverend Cunda, let’s go to see Venerable Channa and ask about his illness.”

“āyāmāvuso cunda, yenāyasmā channo tenupasaṅkamissāma gilānapucchakā”ti.

3.4

“Yes, reverend,” replied Mahācunda.

“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā mahācundo āyasmato sāriputtassa paccassosi.

4.1

And then Sāriputta and Mahācunda went to see Channa and exchanged greetings with him.

Atha kho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahācundo yenāyasmā channo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā channena saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu.

4.2

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side. Then Sāriputta said to Channa,

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ channaṁ etadavoca:

4.3

“I hope you’re keeping well, Reverend Channa; I hope you’re alright. I hope that your pain is fading, not growing, that its fading is evident, not its growing.”

“kacci te, āvuso channa, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ? Kacci te dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti, no abhikkamanti; paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no abhikkamo”ti?

5.1

“Reverend Sāriputta, I’m not keeping well, I’m not alright. The pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.

“Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.

5.2

The winds piercing my head are so severe, it feels like a strong man drilling into my head with a sharp point.

Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, balavā puriso tiṇhena sikharena muddhani abhimattheyya; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimattā vātā muddhani ūhananti.

5.3

Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati no paṭikkamo.

5.4

The pain in my head is so severe, it feels like a strong man tightening a tough leather strap around my head.

Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, balavā puriso daḷhena varattakkhaṇḍena sīse sīsaveṭhaṁ dadeyya; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimattā sīse sīsavedanā.

5.5

Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.

5.6

The winds slicing my belly are so severe, like a deft butcher or their apprentice were slicing open a cows’s belly with a meat cleaver.

Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, dakkho goghātako vā goghātakantevāsī vā tiṇhena govikantanena kucchiṁ parikanteyya; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimattā vātā kucchiṁ parikantanti.

5.7

Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.

5.8

The burning in my body is so severe, it feels like two strong men grabbing a weaker man by the arms to burn and scorch him on a pit of glowing coals.

Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, dve balavanto purisā dubbalataraṁ purisaṁ nānābāhāsu gahetvā aṅgārakāsuyā santāpeyyuṁ samparitāpeyyuṁ; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimatto kāyasmiṁ ḍāho.

5.9

I’m not keeping well, I’m not alright. The pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.

Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.

5.10

Reverend Sāriputta, I will slit my wrists. I don’t wish to live.”

Satthaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, āharissāmi, nāvakaṅkhāmi jīvitan”ti.

6.1

“Please don’t slit your wrists!

“Māyasmā channo satthaṁ āharesi.

6.2

Venerable Channa, keep going! We want you to keep going.

Yāpetāyasmā channo. Yāpentaṁ mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ icchāma.

6.3

If you don’t have any suitable food, we’ll find it for you.

Sace āyasmato channassa natthi sappāyāni bhojanāni, ahaṁ āyasmato channassa sappāyāni bhojanāni pariyesissāmi.

6.4

If you don’t have suitable medicine, we’ll find it for you.

Sace āyasmato channassa natthi sappāyāni bhesajjāni, ahaṁ āyasmato channassa sappāyāni bhesajjāni pariyesissāmi.

6.5

If you don’t have a capable carer, we’ll find one for you.

Sace āyasmato channassa natthi patirūpā upaṭṭhākā, ahaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ upaṭṭhahissāmi.

6.6

Please don’t slit your wrists!

Māyasmā channo satthaṁ āharesi.

6.7

Venerable Channa, keep going! We want you to keep going.”

Yāpetāyasmā channo. Yāpentaṁ mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ icchāmā”ti.

7.1

“Reverend Sāriputta, it’s not that I don’t have suitable food,

“Napi me, āvuso sāriputta, natthi sappāyāni bhojanāni;

7.2

or suitable medicine,

napi me natthi sappāyāni bhesajjāni;

7.3

or a capable carer.

napi me natthi patirūpā upaṭṭhākā;

7.4

Moreover, for a long time now I have served the Teacher with love, not without love.

api cāvuso sāriputta, pariciṇṇo me satthā dīgharattaṁ manāpeneva no amanāpena.

7.5

For it is proper for a disciple to serve the Teacher with love, not without love.

Etañhi, āvuso sāriputta, sāvakassa patirūpaṁ yaṁ satthāraṁ paricareyya manāpeneva no amanāpena.

7.6

You should remember this: ‘The bhikkhu Channa will slit his wrists blamelessly.’”

‘Anupavajjaṁ channo bhikkhu satthaṁ āharissatī’ti evametaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, dhārehī”ti.

8.1

“I’d like to ask you about a certain point, if you’d take the time to answer.”

“Puccheyyāma mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ kañcideva desaṁ, sace āyasmā channo okāsaṁ karoti pañhassa veyyākaraṇāyā”ti.

8.2

“Ask, Reverend Sāriputta. When I’ve heard it I’ll know.”

“Pucchāvuso sāriputta, sutvā vedissāmī”ti.

9.1

“Reverend Channa, do you regard the eye, eye consciousness, and things knowable by eye consciousness in this way: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?

“Cakkhuṁ, āvuso channa, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassasi?

9.2

Do you regard the ear …

Sotaṁ, āvuso channa, sotaviññāṇaṁ …pe…

9.3

nose …

ghānaṁ, āvuso channa, ghānaviññāṇaṁ …

9.4

tongue …

jivhaṁ, āvuso channa, jivhāviññāṇaṁ …

9.5

body …

kāyaṁ, āvuso channa, kāyaviññāṇaṁ …

9.6

mind, mind consciousness, and things knowable by mind consciousness in this way: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

manaṁ, āvuso channa, manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassasī”ti?

9.7

“Reverend Sāriputta, I regard the eye, eye consciousness, and things knowable by eye consciousness in this way: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not me (my essence).’ [na meso attā = na me eso attā or this is not my essence]

“Cakkhuṁ, āvuso sāriputta, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmi.

9.8

I regard the ear …

Sotaṁ, āvuso sāriputta …pe…

9.9

nose …

ghānaṁ, āvuso sāriputta …

9.10

tongue …

jivhaṁ, āvuso sāriputta …

9.11

body …

kāyaṁ, āvuso sāriputta …

9.12

mind, mind consciousness, and things knowable by mind consciousness in this way: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not me (my essence).’

manaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmī”ti.

10.1

“Reverend Channa, what have you seen, what have you directly known in these things that you regard them in this way: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not me (my essence).?’”

“Cakkhusmiṁ, āvuso channa, cakkhuviññāṇe cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu kiṁ disvā kiṁ abhiññāya cakkhuṁ cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassasi?

10.2

Sotasmiṁ, āvuso channa, sotaviññāṇe …

10.3

ghānasmiṁ, āvuso channa, ghānaviññāṇe …

10.4

jivhāya, āvuso channa, jivhāviññāṇe …

10.5

kāyasmiṁ, āvuso channa, kāyaviññāṇe …

10.6

manasmiṁ, āvuso channa, manoviññāṇe manoviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu kiṁ disvā kiṁ abhiññāya manaṁ manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassasī”ti?

10.7

“Reverend Sāriputta, after seeing cessation, after directly knowing cessation in these things I regard them in this way: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not me (my essence).’”

“Cakkhusmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, cakkhuviññāṇe cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu nirodhaṁ disvā nirodhaṁ abhiññāya cakkhuṁ cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmi.

10.8

Sotasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, sotaviññāṇe …

10.9

ghānasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, ghānaviññāṇe …

10.10

jivhāya, āvuso sāriputta, jivhāviññāṇe …

10.11

kāyasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, kāyaviññāṇe …

10.12

manasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, manoviññāṇe manoviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu nirodhaṁ disvā nirodhaṁ abhiññāya manaṁ manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmī”ti.

11.1

When he said this, Venerable Mahācunda said to Venerable Channa:

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā mahācundo āyasmantaṁ channaṁ etadavoca:

11.2

“So, Reverend Channa, you should pay close attention to this instruction of the Buddha whenever you can:

“tasmātiha, āvuso channa, idampi tassa bhagavato sāsanaṁ, niccakappaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ:

11.3

‘For the dependent there is agitation. For the independent there’s no agitation.

‘nissitassa calitaṁ, anissitassa calitaṁ natthi.

11.4

When there’s no agitation there is tranquility.

Calite asati passaddhi,

11.5

When there is tranquility there’s no inclination.

passaddhiyā sati nati na hoti.

11.6

When there’s no inclination there’s no coming and going.

Natiyā asati āgatigati na hoti.

11.7

When there’s no coming and going there’s no passing away and reappearing.

Āgatigatiyā asati cutūpapāto na hoti.

11.8

When there’s no passing away and reappearing there’s no this world or world beyond or between the two.

Cutūpapāte asati nevidha na huraṁ na ubhayamantarena.

11.9

Just this is the end of suffering.’”

Esevanto dukkhassā’”ti.

11.10

And when the venerables Sāriputta and Mahācunda had given Venerable Channa this advice they got up from their seat and left.

Atha kho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahācundo āyasmantaṁ channaṁ iminā ovādena ovaditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu.

12.1

Not long after those venerables had left, Venerable Channa slit his wrists.

Atha kho āyasmā channo acirapakkante āyasmante ca sāriputte āyasmante ca mahācunde satthaṁ āharesi.

13.1

Then Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

13.2

“Sir, Venerable Channa has slit his wrists.

“āyasmatā, bhante, channena satthaṁ āharitaṁ.

13.3

Where has he been reborn in his next life?”

Tassa kā gati, ko abhisamparāyo”ti?

13.4

“Sāriputta, didn’t the bhikkhu Channa declare his blamelessness to you personally?”

“Nanu te, sāriputta, channena bhikkhunā sammukhāyeva anupavajjatā byākatā”ti?

13.5

“Sir, there is a Vajjian village named Pubbavijjhana

“Atthi, bhante, pubbajiraṁ nāma vajjigāmo.

13.6

where Channa had families with whom he was friendly, intimate, and familiar.”

Tatthāyasmato channassa mittakulāni suhajjakulāni upavajjakulānī”ti.

13.7

“The bhikkhu Channa did indeed have such families.

“Honti hete, sāriputta, channassa bhikkhuno mittakulāni suhajjakulāni upavajjakulāni.

13.8

But this is not enough for me to call someone ‘blameworthy’.

Nāhaṁ, sāriputta, ettāvatā ‘saupavajjo’ti vadāmi.

13.9

When someone lays down this body and takes up another body, I call them ‘blameworthy’.

Yo kho, sāriputta, imañca kāyaṁ nikkhipati aññañca kāyaṁ upādiyati tamahaṁ ‘saupavajjo’ti vadāmi.

13.10

But the bhikkhu Channa did no such thing.

Taṁ channassa bhikkhuno natthi.

13.11

You should remember this: ‘The bhikkhu Channa slit his wrists blamelessly.’”

‘Anupavajjo channo bhikkhu satthaṁ āharesī’ti evametaṁ, sāriputta, dhārehī”ti.

13.12

That is what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā.

13.13

Satisfied, Venerable Sāriputta was happy with what the Buddha said.

Attamano āyasmā sāriputto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.

13.14

Channovādasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dutiyaṁ.