144. Channovada Sutta - English MAJJHIMA NIKAYA III
5. 2. Channovàdasuttaü
(144) Advice to Venerable Channa
I heard thus.
At one time the Blessed One lived in the squirrels' sanctuary in the bamboo
grove in Rajagaha. At that time, venerable Sariputta, venerable Mahacunda and
venerable Channa lived on the Gijjha peak. At that time venerable Channa was
seriously ill. Venerable Sariputta getting up from his seclusion in the evening
approached venerable Mahacunda and said. ßFriend Cunda, let's approach venerable
Channa to inquire about his health,û Venerable Mahacunda accepting venerable
Sàriputta's suggestion, both approached venerable Channa. After exchanging
friendly greetings with venerable Channa they sat on a side and venerable
Sàriputta said, `Friend Channa, how are you feeling? Would you survive? Are the
unpleasant feelings decreasing or increasing? Do the feelings show the
increasing end or the decreasing end?û
ßFriend Sàriputta, I do not feel well, will not survive. My unpleasant feelings
are severe and increasing, not decreasing. The unpleasant feelings are
increasing until the end. Friend Sàriputta, my top hurts a lot. I feel as though
a strong man was giving me a headdress with a strong headband. I do not feel
well and will not survive. My unpleasant feelings are severe and increasing, not
decreasing. The unpleasant feelings are increasing until the end. Friend
Sàriputta, my belly hurts a lot as though a lot of air was turning about in my
belly. I feel as though a clever butcher or his apprentice was carving my belly
with a sharp butcher's knife. I do not feel well and will not survive. My
unpleasant feelings are severe and increasing, not decreasing. The unpleasant
feelings are increasing until the end. Friend Sàriputta, there is a lot of
burning in my body. I feel as though two strong men taking me by my hands and
feet are pulling me to a pit of burning embers and are scorching and burning me.
I do not feel well and will not survive. My unpleasant feelings are severe and
increasing, not decreasing. The unpleasant feelings are increasing until the
end. Friend Sàriputta, I will take a weapon to end life.û
ßFriend Channa, do not take a weapon, do survive. We desire that you survive. If
venerable Channa does not get suitable nourishment, I will find them for
venerable Channa. If venerable Channa does not get suitable medical requisites,
I will find them for venerable Channa. If venerable Channa does not have a
suitable attendant, I will attend to venerable Channa. Friend Channa, do not
take a weapon, do survive. We desire that you survive.û
ßFriend Sàriputta, it is not that I'm in want of suitable nourishment, or
suitable medical requisites, or a suitable attendant, yet my duties by the
Teacher are done long ago, with pleasure and not with displeasure.
Friend Sàriputta, for a disciple who has done his duties by the Teacher
pleasantly, there is nothing wrong if he takes a weapon to end life, remember it
as that.û
ßFriend Channa, I will ask a certain question if venerable Channa would
volunteer to explain.û
ßFriend Sàriputta, ask, I will explain.û
ßFriend Channa, is your reflection, `Eye, eye-consciousness, and things
cognizable by eye consciousness, are me, I'm in them, they are self?' Is your
reflection, `Ear, ear-consciousness, and things cognizable by ear
-consciousness, are me, I'm in them and they are self?' Is your reflection,
`Nose, nose-consciousness, and things cognizable by nose-consciousness, are me,
I'm in them, they are self?' Is your reflection, `Tongue, tongue-consciousness,
and things cognizable by tongue-consciousness, are me, I'm in them, they are
self?' Is your reflection, `Body, body-consciousness, and things cognizable by
body-consciousness, are me, I'm in them, they are self?' Is your reflection,
`Mind, mind-consciousness, and things cognizable by mind-consciousness, are me,
I'm in them, they are self'?û
ßFriend Sàriputta, eye ... ear, ... nose, ... tongue ... body ... mind,
mind-consciousness, and things cognizable by mind-consciousness, are not me, I'm
not in them, they are not self.û
ßFriend Channa, seeing what in the eye, eye-consciousness, and things cognizable
by eye-consciousness do you realize, `Eye, eye-consciousness, and things
cognizable by eye consciousness are not me, I'm not in them and they are not
self?' Friend Channa, seeing what in the ear, ... nose, ... taste, ... body, ...
mind, mind-consciousness, and things cognizable by mind-consciousness do you
realize, mind, mind-consciousness, and things cognizable by mind-consciousness
are not me, I'm not in them and they are not self'?û
ßFriend, Sàriputta seeing the cessation of the eye, eye-consciousness, and
things cognizable by eye-consciousness I realized, `eye, eye-consciousness, and
things cognizable by eye consciousness are not me, I'm not in them, and they are
not self.' Friend Sàriputta, seeing the cessation of ear, ... nose, ... taste,
... body, ... mind, mind-consciousness, and things cognizable by
mind-consciousness I realized, mind, mind-consciousness, and things cognizable
by mind-consciousness are not me, I'm not in them and they are not self.û
Then venerable Mahàcunda said to venerable Channa, ßFriend Channa, constant
attention should be given to this too in the dispensation of the Blessed One. To
the settled there is change, to the not settled there is no change. [1] When
there is no change, there is delight. [2] When there is delight, there is no
inclination. [3] When there is no inclination, there is no coming and going. [4]
When there is no coming and going, there is no disappearing and appearing. [5]
When there is no disappearing and appearing, there is no here or there, or in
between. [6] That is the end of unpleasantness.û
Venerable Sàriputta and venerable Mahcunda, having advised venerable Channa, in
this manner got up from their seats and went away. Soon after they had gone
venerable Channa took a weapon and put an end to his life. Then venerable
Sàriputta approached the Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said.
ßVenerable sir, venerable Channa has put an end to his life, what are his
movements after death?û
ßSàriputta, wasn't the faultlessness of the bhikkhu Channa declared in your
presence?û
ßVenerable sir, in Pabbajira, the village of the Vajjã's, the families of
venerable Channa's friends, well-wishers and earlier relations live.û
ßSàriputta, there may be the families of venerable Channa's friends,
well-wishers and earlier relatives, I say, there is no fault to that extent.
Sàriputta, if someone gives up this body and seizes another, I say it is a
fault. In the bhikkhu that fault is not apparent. Bhikkhu Channa took his life
faultlessly.û
The Blessed One said thus and venerable Sàriputta delighted in the words of the
Blessed One.
[1] To the settled there is change, to the not settled there is no change
(nissitassa calitaü, anissitassa calitaü na'tthi). When the bhikkhu develops his
mind, there are various stages in which the mind makes settlements. When such a
settlement is made, there is change, when no such settlement is made, there is
no change. The Blessed One's Teaching is that the bhikkhu should not be settled
anywhere. It is the Teaching of the mind's extinction.
[2] When there is no change, there is delight (calite asati passaddhi). A change
is a change in feelings, as a result of a contact at one or the other of the
doors of mental contact. When there is no such change, there is delight. Delight
is a special feature necessary for the development of the mind, so that it may
not deviate from the correct path.
[3] When there is delight there is no inclination (passaddhiyà sati, nati na
hoti). Inclination is to be bent to this and that. The delighted one enjoys the
path, and does not deviate from it. He becomes so sure of the path, that a
teacher is not necessary for him any more.
[4] When there is no inclination, there is no coming and going (natiyà asati
àgatigati na hoti). The coming and going is a persistent feature of the mind.
Always coming to its place of interest. The mind's nature of persistently
returning to a point is the factor, which paves someone's rebirth in some place.
[5] When there is no coming and going, there is no disappearing and appearing
(àgatigatiyà asati cutåpapàto na hoti). When the mind's nature of coming and
going is not evident, the disappearing and appearing does not happen.
[6] When there is no disappearing and appearing, there is no here or there or in
between (cutåpapàte asati n'eva idha na huraü na ubhayaü antarena). When the
mind does not disappear and appear, and when it is neither in between, it is the
end of unpleasantness.
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