8.
The Discourse on Channa
90.
On one occasion many elder monks were dwelling at Bārāṇasī in the Deer Park at Isipatana.
Then the Venerable Channa, in the evening, having emerged from seclusion, having taken a key, having approached from dwelling to dwelling, said this to the elder monks -
"Let the venerable elders exhort me, let the venerable elders instruct me, let the venerable elders give me a talk on the Teaching, so that I might see the Teaching."
When this was said, the elder monks said this to the Venerable Channa - "Matter, friend Channa, is impermanent; feeling is impermanent; perception is impermanent; activities are impermanent; consciousness is impermanent. Matter is non-self; feeling... perception... activities... consciousness is non-self. All activities are impermanent; all phenomena are non-self."
Then this occurred to the Venerable Channa - "For me too this is thus - 'Matter is impermanent, feeling... perception... activities... consciousness is impermanent; matter is non-self, feeling... perception... activities... consciousness is non-self. All activities are impermanent, all phenomena are non-self.' And yet my mind does not spring forward, does not become clear, does not become settled, does not become resolved regarding the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all clinging, the elimination of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna. Agitation and clinging arise; the mind turns back - 'Then what now is my self?' But this is not so for one who sees the Teaching. Who now might expound to me the Teaching in such a way that I might see the Teaching?"
Then this occurred to the Venerable Channa - "This Venerable Ānanda is dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita's park, praised by the Teacher and esteemed by the wise fellow monks in the holy life, and the Venerable Ānanda is able to expound to me the Teaching in such a way that I might see the Teaching; and I have that much confidence in the Venerable Ānanda. What if I were to approach the Venerable Ānanda?" Then the Venerable Channa, having set in order his lodging, taking his bowl and robe, approached Kosambī, Ghosita's park, and the Venerable Ānanda; having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Ānanda, etc. Seated to one side, the Venerable Channa said this to the Venerable Ānanda -
"On one occasion, friend Ānanda, I was dwelling at Bārāṇasī in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then I, friend, in the evening, having emerged from seclusion, taking a key, approached from dwelling to dwelling; having approached, I said this to the elder monks - 'Let the venerable elder monks exhort me, let the venerable elder monks instruct me, let the venerable elder monks give me a talk on the Teaching so that I might see the Teaching.' When this was said, friend, the elder monks said this to me - 'Matter, friend Channa, is impermanent; feeling... perception... activities... consciousness is impermanent; matter is non-self, etc. consciousness is non-self. All activities are impermanent, all phenomena are non-self.'
"This occurred to me, friend - 'For me too this is thus - matter is impermanent, etc. consciousness is impermanent, matter is non-self, feeling... perception... activities... consciousness is non-self. All activities are impermanent, all phenomena are non-self.' And yet my mind does not spring forward, does not become clear, does not become settled, does not become resolved regarding the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all clinging, the elimination of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna. Agitation and clinging arise; the mind turns back - 'Then what now is my self?' But this is not so for one who sees the Teaching. Who now might expound to me the Teaching in such a way that I might see the Teaching!
"This occurred to me, friend - 'This Venerable Ānanda is dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita's park, praised by the Teacher and esteemed by the wise fellow monks in the holy life, and the Venerable Ānanda is able to expound to me the Teaching in such a way that I might see the Teaching. And I have that much confidence in the Venerable Ānanda. What if I were to approach the Venerable Ānanda.' Let the Venerable Ānanda exhort me; let the Venerable Ānanda instruct me; let the Venerable Ānanda give me a talk on the Teaching so that I might see the Teaching."
"Even by this much we are delighted with the Venerable Channa, in that the Venerable Channa has revealed this, has cut through the barrenness. Apply your ear, friend Channa; you are capable of understanding the Teaching." Then for the Venerable Channa, by just that much, lofty joy and gladness arose - "I am indeed capable of understanding the Teaching."
"Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, friend Channa, face to face I received it, when he was exhorting the monk Kaccānagotta - 'This world, Kaccāna, for the most part depends upon a duality - upon existence and non-existence. But for one who sees the origin of the world as it really is with right wisdom, there is no notion of non-existence regarding the world. And for one who sees the cessation of the world as it really is with right wisdom, there is no notion of existence regarding the world. This world, Kaccāna, for the most part is shackled by involvement, clinging, and adherence. But this one does not approach, does not cling to, does not determine that involvement and clinging, that mental standpoint, adherence, and underlying tendency - "this is my self." "It is only suffering that arises when arising, it is suffering that ceases when ceasing" - he is not uncertain, he does not doubt sceptically. His knowledge here is not dependent on others. To this extent, Kaccāna, there is right view. "All exists" - this, Kaccāna, is one extreme. "All does not exist" - this is the second extreme. Not approaching these two extremes, Kaccāna, the Truth-finder expounds the Teaching by the middle - with ignorance as condition, activities; with activities as condition, consciousness; etc. Thus is the origin of this whole mass of suffering. But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance comes the cessation of activities; etc. thus is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering."
"So it is, friend Ānanda, for those venerable ones who have such fellows in the holy life who are compassionate, who desire their welfare, who exhort, who instruct. And having heard the Venerable Ānanda's proclamation of the Teaching, the Teaching has been fully realised by me." The eighth.