MN144 — Channovādasutta
Thus have I heard:
At one time, the Blessed One was staying in Rajagaha at the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary.
Now at that time, the venerable Sāriputta, the venerable Mahācunda, and the venerable Channa were staying on the Vultures Peak Mountain.
Now at that time, the venerable Channa was afflicted, suffering, and gravely ill.
Then, in the evening, the venerable Sāriputta, having emerged from seclusion, approached the venerable Mahācunda and said to him, Come, friend Cunda, let us go to the venerable Channa to inquire about his illness.
Yes, friend, the venerable Mahācunda replied to the venerable Sāriputta.
Then the venerable Sāriputta and the venerable Mahācunda went to the venerable Channa; having approached, they exchanged greetings with the venerable Channa. After exchanging greetings and cordial talk, they sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the venerable Sāriputta said to the venerable Channa, I hope you are bearing up, friend Channa, I hope you are getting better. I hope your painful feelings are subsiding and not increasing, and that their subsiding, not their increase, is apparent.
Friend Sāriputta, I am not bearing up, I am not getting better. Strong, painful feelings are increasing in me, not subsiding; their increase, not their subsiding, is apparent.
Just as if a strong man were to split my head open with a sharp sword, so too violent winds cut through my head.
I am not bearing up, friend Sāriputta, I am not getting better. Strong, painful feelings are increasing in me, not subsiding; their increase, not their subsiding, is apparent.
Just as if a strong man were to tighten a tough leather strap around my head, so too violent pains constrict my head.
I am not bearing up, friend Sāriputta, I am not getting better. Strong, painful feelings are increasing in me, not subsiding; their increase, not their subsiding, is apparent.
Just as if a skilled butcher or his apprentice were to carve up an oxs belly with a sharp butchers knife, so too violent winds are carving up my belly.
I am not bearing up, friend Sāriputta, I am not getting better. Strong, painful feelings are increasing in me, not subsiding; their increase, not their subsiding, is apparent.
Just as, friend Sāriputta, two strong men might seize a weaker man by both arms and burn and scorch him in a pit of hot embers, so too, friend Sāriputta, there is an intense burning in my body.
I cannot endure it, friend Sāriputta, I cannot bear it. Violent pains assail me, they do not recede; their onset is apparent, not their subsiding.
I shall take a knife, friend Sāriputta, I do not long for life.
Let the venerable Channa not take a knife.
Let the venerable Channa live. We wish the venerable Channa to live.
If the venerable Channa does not have suitable food, I will search for suitable food for the venerable Channa.
If the venerable Channa does not have suitable medicine, I will search for suitable medicine for the venerable Channa.
If the venerable Channa does not have suitable attendants, I will attend to the venerable Channa.
Let the venerable Channa not take a knife.
Let the venerable Channa live. We wish the venerable Channa to live.
Friend Sāriputta, it is not that I do not have suitable food;
nor that I do not have suitable medicine;
nor that I do not have suitable attendants;
but, friend Sāriputta, I have long served the Teacher with pleasant service, not with unpleasant service.
For, friend Sāriputta, it is proper for a disciple to serve the Teacher with pleasant service, not with unpleasant service.
The disciple Channa will take a knife without reproach: thus, friend Sāriputta, you should bear it in mind.
Let us ask the venerable Channa about some matter, if the venerable Channa gives us the opportunity to explain the question.
Ask, friend Sāriputta, I will understand upon hearing.
Friend Channa, do you regard the eye, eye-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by eye-consciousness as This is mine, I am this, this is my self?
Friend Channa, do you regard the ear, ear-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by ear-consciousness as This is mine, I am this, this is my self?
Friend Channa, do you regard the nose, nose-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by nose-consciousness as This is mine, I am this, this is my self?
Friend Channa, do you regard the tongue, tongue-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by tongue-consciousness as This is mine, I am this, this is my self?
Friend Channa, do you regard the body, body-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by body-consciousness as This is mine, I am this, this is my self?
Friend Channa, do you regard the mind, mind-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by mind-consciousness as This is mine, I am this, this is my self?
Friend Sāriputta, I do not regard the eye, eye-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by eye-consciousness as This is mine, I am this, this is my self.
Friend Sāriputta, ...
the ear, friend Sāriputta ...
the nose, friend Sāriputta ...
the tongue, friend Sāriputta ...
the body, friend Sāriputta ...
the mind, friend Sāriputta, the mind-consciousness, the phenomena cognizable by the mind-consciousness, This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self, thus I see.
In the eye, friend Channa, in the eye-consciousness, in the phenomena cognizable by the eye-consciousness, what do you see, what do you understand, that you see the eye, the eye-consciousness, the phenomena cognizable by the eye-consciousness, This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self?
In the ear, friend Channa, in the ear-consciousness ...
in the nose, friend Channa, in the nose-consciousness ...
in the tongue, friend Channa, in the tongue-consciousness ...
in the body, friend Channa, in the body-consciousness ...
in the mind, friend Channa, in the mind-consciousness, in the phenomena cognizable by the mind-consciousness, what do you see, what do you understand, that you see the mind, the mind-consciousness, the phenomena cognizable by the mind-consciousness, This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self?
In the eye, friend Sāriputta, in the eye-consciousness, in the phenomena cognizable by the eye-consciousness, seeing cessation, understanding cessation, I see the eye, the eye-consciousness, the phenomena cognizable by the eye-consciousness, This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.
In the ear, friend Sāriputta, in the ear-consciousness ...
in the nose, friend Sāriputta, in the nose-consciousness ...
in the tongue, friend Sāriputta, in the tongue-consciousness ...
in the body, friend Sāriputta, in the body-consciousness ...
in the mind, friend Sāriputta, in the mind-consciousness, in the phenomena cognizable by the mind-consciousness, seeing cessation, understanding cessation, I see the mind, the mind-consciousness, the phenomena cognizable by the mind-consciousness, This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.
Having said this, the venerable Mahācunda said to the venerable Channa, Therefore, friend Channa, this too is the teaching of the Blessed One, to be constantly borne in mind: For one who is dependent, there is wavering; for one who is independent, there is no wavering.
Where there is no wavering, there is calm.
Where there is calm, there is no inclination.
Where there is no inclination, there is no coming and going.
Where there is no coming and going, there is no passing away and reappearing.
Where there is no passing away and reappearing, neither here nor there nor in between the two, this is the end of suffering.
Then the venerable Sāriputta and the venerable Mahācunda, having given this advice to the venerable Channa, rose from their seats and departed.
Then the venerable Channa, shortly after the departure of the venerable Sāriputta and the venerable Mahācunda, took a knife.
Then, the Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid respects to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Blessed One, Venerable sir, Channa has brought a knife. What is his destination, what is his future state?
Did I not declare to you, Sāriputta, that Channa the disciple is blameless?
There is, venerable sir, a village named Pubba Jira in the Vajji country. There are families there who are friends, well-wishers, and supporters of the Venerable Channa.
Indeed, Sāriputta, there are families who are friends, well-wishers, and supporters of Channa the disciple. But I do not say that one is blameless merely because of that. Whoever, Sāriputta, lays down this body and takes up another body, I say that he is blameworthy. But that is not the case with Channa the disciple. Channa the disciple is blameless, having brought a knife. Remember it thus, Sāriputta.
The Blessed One said this. The Venerable Sāriputta was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's words.
Thus ends the discourse on Channa's admonition, the second.