MN144: Channovādasutta - Advice to Channa
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
mn144:1.1So I have heard.This discourse recurs at SN35.87. In the Saṁyutta Nikāya, as here in the Majjhima, it is immediately followed by the Puṇṇovādasutta (MN145, SN35.88). At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
mn144:2.1Now at that time the venerables Sāriputta, Mahācunda, and Channa were staying on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.For Mahācunda, see note on MN8:2.1.
This Channa only appears only in this discourse. He is evidently not the same person as the Budddha’s former charioteer who was famously admonished on the Buddha’s deathbed (DN16:6.4.1).
mn144:3.1Now at that time Venerable Channa was sick, suffering, gravely ill.
mn144:3.2Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Sāriputta came out of retreat, went to Venerable Mahācunda and said to him, “Come, Reverend Cunda, let’s go to see Venerable Channa and ask about his illness.”
mn144:3.4“Yes, reverend,” replied Mahācunda.
mn144:4.1And then Sāriputta and Mahācunda went to see Channa and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side. Then Sāriputta said to Channa, “I hope you’re keeping well, Reverend Channa; I hope you’re all right. I hope that your pain is fading, not growing, that its fading is evident, not its growing.”
mn144:5.1“Reverend Sāriputta, I’m not keeping well, I’m not getting by. The pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading. The winds piercing my head are so severe, it feels like a strong man drilling into my head with a sharp point. The pain in my head is so severe, it feels like a strong man tightening a tough leather strap around my head. The winds slicing my belly are so severe, like a deft butcher or their apprentice were slicing open a cows’s belly with a sharp meat cleaver. 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. I’m not keeping well, I’m not getting by. The pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading. Reverend Sāriputta, I will commit suicide. I don’t wish to live.”See note on MN145:5.31.
mn144:6.1“Please don’t commit suicide! Venerable Channa, keep going! We want you to keep going. If you don’t have any suitable food, we’ll find it for you. If you don’t have suitable medicine, we’ll find it for you. If you don’t have a capable carer, we’ll find one for you. Please don’t commit suicide! Venerable Channa, keep going! We want you to keep going.”
mn144:7.1“Reverend Sāriputta, it’s not that I don’t have suitable food, or suitable medicine, or a capable carer. Moreover, for a long time now I have served the Teacher with love, not without love. For it is proper for a disciple to serve the Teacher with love, not without love. You should remember this: ‘The mendicant Channa will commit suicide blamelessly.’”
mn144:8.1“I’d like to ask you about a certain point, if you’d take the time to answer.”
mn144:8.2“Ask, Reverend Sāriputta. When I’ve heard it I’ll know.”
mn144:9.1“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’? Do you regard the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind, mind consciousness, and things knowable by mind consciousness in this way: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
mn144:9.7“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 my self.’ I regard the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind, mind consciousness, and things knowable by mind consciousness in this way: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self’.”
mn144:10.1“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 my self’?” “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 my self’.”
mn144:11.1When he said this, Venerable Mahācunda said to Venerable Channa:
mn144:11.2“So, Reverend Channa, you should regularly apply your mind to this instruction of the Buddha:Mahācunda is about to quote a phrase that appears at Ud 8.4 verse 3. ‘For the dependent there is agitation. For the independent there’s no agitation.The “dependent” is the world of conditions. The “independent” is Nibbana.
“Agitation” is calita, otherwise “shaking, trembling”. When there’s no agitation there is tranquility. When there is tranquility there’s no inclination.“Inclination” is nati, from a root meaning “to bend”. Sometimes used in the sense of a “inclination of mind” (MN19:6.1), here, as the following lines make clear, it refers to the mind inclining to rebirth; explained by the commentary as “craving”. Compare the English idiom, “one is bent on destruction”.
When there’s no inclination there’s no coming and going. When there’s no coming and going there’s no passing away and reappearing. When there’s no passing away and reappearing there’s no this life or the next or between the two.Vedic cosmology speaks of a tripartite world: the earth, the heavens, and the “midspace” (antarikṣa), namely the atmosphere. The gods journey through the midspace to earth for the sacrifice, bringing bounty for mortals (eg. Rig Veda 7.45). Later, the process of rebirth was conceived of as a path of cosmological ascent returning to the world of the gods or the fathers (eg. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 5.10.1). For the suttas, rebirth is likewise seen as a process of moving between states, like a person leaving a house, walking down the street, and entering another house (DN2:96.1). Just this is the end of suffering.’” And when the venerables Sāriputta and Mahācunda had given Venerable Channa this advice they got up from their seat and left.
mn144:12.1Not long after those venerables had left, Venerable Channa committed suicide.
mn144:13.1Then Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, Venerable Channa has committed suicide. Where has he been reborn in his next life?”
mn144:13.4“Sāriputta, didn’t the mendicant Channa declare his blamelessness to you personally?”
mn144:13.5“Sir, there is a Vajjian village named Pubbajira.There are several variant spellings of this name, which does not seem to appear elsewhere. There Channa had families who were friendly, intimate, and hospitable.”The text plays with homonyms of upavajja as “blameworthy” (Sanskrit upavadya) and as “hospitable” (commentary: upasaṅkamitabba, Sanskrit upavrajya).
mn144:13.7“The mendicant Channa did indeed have such families. But this is not enough for me to call someone ‘blameworthy’. When someone lays down this body and takes up another body, I call them ‘blameworthy’. But the mendicant Channa did no such thing.The Buddha confirms that Channa was an arahant. You should remember this: ‘The mendicant Channa committed suicide blamelessly.’”Suicide generally is condemned in Buddhism as the taking of a human life. But from this and similar incidents (SN4.23, SN22.87) it is widely accepted that suicide in the final throes of a terminal illness is allowable for arahants, as they are incapable of committing a blameworthy act. The suttas, however, can also be read to support the reverse reading: the reason it is allowable for arahants is because it is not blameworthy. The underlying logic would be that ending life is normally bad because life is valuable, but at such a point life no longer has any value. Obviously this is a complex issue that cannot be resolved by a few short scriptural passages, but a Buddhist would be motivated by compassion and understanding for those going through such terrible suffering.
mn144:13.12That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Sāriputta approved what the Buddha said.
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahācundo āyasmā ca channo gijjhakūṭe pabbate viharanti.
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā channo ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.
Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā mahācundo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahācundaṁ etadavoca: "āyāmāvuso cunda, yenāyasmā channo tenupasaṅkamissāma gilānapucchakā"ti.
"Evamāvuso"ti kho āyasmā mahācundo āyasmato sāriputtassa paccassosi.
2Atha kho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahācundo yenāyasmā channo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā channena saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ channaṁ etadavoca: "Kacci te, āvuso channa, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ? Kacci te dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti, no abhikkamanti; paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no abhikkamo"ti?
3"Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo. Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, balavā puriso tiṇhena sikharena muddhani abhimattheyya; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimattā vātā muddhani ūhananti. Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati no paṭikkamo. Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, balavā puriso daḷhena varattakkhaṇḍena sīse sīsaveṭhaṁ dadeyya; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimattā sīse sīsavedanā. Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo. Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, dakkho goghātako vā goghātakantevāsī vā tiṇhena govikantanena kucchiṁ parikanteyya; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimattā vātā kucchiṁ parikantanti. Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo. Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, dve balavanto purisā dubbalataraṁ purisaṁ nānābāhāsu gahetvā aṅgārakāsuyā santāpeyyuṁ samparitāpeyyuṁ; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimatto kāyasmiṁ ḍāho. Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo. Satthaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, āharissāmi, nāvakaṅkhāmi jīvitan"ti.
4"Māyasmā channo satthaṁ āharesi. Yāpetāyasmā channo. Yāpentaṁ mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ icchāma. Sace āyasmato channassa natthi sappāyāni bhojanāni, ahaṁ āyasmato channassa sappāyāni bhojanāni pariyesissāmi. Sace āyasmato channassa natthi sappāyāni bhesajjāni, ahaṁ āyasmato channassa sappāyāni bhesajjāni pariyesissāmi. Sace āyasmato channassa natthi patirūpā upaṭṭhākā, ahaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ upaṭṭhahissāmi. Māyasmā channo satthaṁ āharesi. Yāpetāyasmā channo. Yāpentaṁ mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ icchāmā"ti.
5"Napi me, āvuso sāriputta, natthi sappāyāni bhojanāni; napi me natthi sappāyāni bhesajjāni; napi me natthi patirūpā upaṭṭhākā; api cāvuso sāriputta, pariciṇṇo me satthā dīgharattaṁ manāpeneva no amanāpena. Etañhi, āvuso sāriputta, sāvakassa patirūpaṁ yaṁ satthāraṁ paricareyya manāpeneva no amanāpena. ‘Anupavajjaṁ channo bhikkhu satthaṁ āharissatī’ti evametaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, dhārehī"ti.
"Puccheyyāma mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ kañcideva desaṁ, sace āyasmā channo okāsaṁ karoti pañhassa veyyākaraṇāyā"ti.
"Pucchāvuso sāriputta, sutvā vedissāmī"ti.
6"Cakkhuṁ, āvuso channa, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassasi? Sotaṁ, āvuso channa, sotaviññāṇaṁ … pe … ghānaṁ, āvuso channa, ghānaviññāṇaṁ … jivhaṁ, āvuso channa, jivhāviññāṇaṁ … kāyaṁ, āvuso channa, kāyaviññāṇaṁ … manaṁ, āvuso channa, manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassasī"ti?
7"Cakkhuṁ, āvuso sāriputta, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmi. Sotaṁ, āvuso sāriputta … pe … ghānaṁ, āvuso sāriputta … jivhaṁ, āvuso sāriputta … kāyaṁ, āvuso sāriputta … manaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmī"ti.
8"Cakkhusmiṁ, āvuso channa, cakkhuviññāṇe cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu kiṁ disvā kiṁ abhiññāya cakkhuṁ cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassasi? Sotasmiṁ, āvuso channa, sotaviññāṇe … ghānasmiṁ, āvuso channa, ghānaviññāṇe … jivhāya, āvuso channa, jivhāviññāṇe … kāyasmiṁ, āvuso channa, kāyaviññāṇe … manasmiṁ, āvuso channa, manoviññāṇe manoviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu kiṁ disvā kiṁ abhiññāya manaṁ manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassasī"ti?
9"Cakkhusmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, cakkhuviññāṇe cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu nirodhaṁ disvā nirodhaṁ abhiññāya cakkhuṁ cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmi. Sotasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, sotaviññāṇe … ghānasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, ghānaviññāṇe … jivhāya, āvuso sāriputta, jivhāviññāṇe … kāyasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, kāyaviññāṇe … manasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, manoviññāṇe manoviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu nirodhaṁ disvā nirodhaṁ abhiññāya manaṁ manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmī"ti.
10Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā mahācundo āyasmantaṁ channaṁ etadavoca:
"tasmātiha, āvuso channa, idampi tassa bhagavato sāsanaṁ, niccakappaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ: ‘nissitassa calitaṁ, anissitassa calitaṁ natthi. Calite asati passaddhi, passaddhiyā sati nati na hoti. Natiyā asati āgatigati na hoti. Āgatigatiyā asati cutūpapāto na hoti. Cutūpapāte asati nevidha na huraṁ na ubhayamantarena. Esevanto dukkhassā’"ti. Atha kho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahācundo āyasmantaṁ channaṁ iminā ovādena ovaditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu.
11Atha kho āyasmā channo acirapakkante āyasmante ca sāriputte āyasmante ca mahācunde satthaṁ āharesi.
Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "āyasmatā, bhante, channena satthaṁ āharitaṁ. Tassa kā gati, ko abhisamparāyo"ti.
"Nanu te, sāriputta, channena bhikkhunā sammukhāyeva anupavajjatā byākatā"ti?
"Atthi, bhante, pubbajiraṁ nāma vajjigāmo. Tatthāyasmato channassa mittakulāni suhajjakulāni upavajjakulānī"ti.
"Honti hete, sāriputta, channassa bhikkhuno mittakulāni suhajjakulāni upavajjakulāni. Nāhaṁ, sāriputta, ettāvatā ‘saupavajjo’ti vadāmi. Yo kho, sāriputta, imañca kāyaṁ nikkhipati aññañca kāyaṁ upādiyati tamahaṁ ‘saupavajjo’ti vadāmi. Taṁ channassa bhikkhuno natthi. ‘Anupavajjo channo bhikkhu satthaṁ āharesī’ti evametaṁ, sāriputta, dhārehī"ti.
12Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā sāriputto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.
Channovādasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dutiyaṁ.