4.
The Discourse on Channa
87.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground.
Now at that time the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahācunda and the Venerable Channa were dwelling on the Vulture's Peak mountain.
Now at that time the Venerable Channa was sick, afflicted, severely ill.
Then the Venerable Sāriputta, in the evening, having emerged from seclusion, approached the Venerable Mahācunda;
having approached, he said this to the Venerable Mahācunda -
"Come, friend Cunda, let us go to where the Venerable Channa is, to enquire about his illness."
"Yes, friend," the Venerable Mahācunda assented to the Venerable Sāriputta.
Then the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahācunda approached the Venerable Channa; having approached, they sat down on the prepared seats. Having sat down, the Venerable Sāriputta said this to the Venerable Channa - "Is it bearable for you, friend Channa, is it endurable? Are unpleasant feelings receding, not advancing; is their receding evident, not their advancing?"
"It is not bearable for me, friend Sāriputta, not endurable; excessive unpleasant feelings are advancing for me, not receding; their advancing is evident, not their receding. Just as, friend, a strong man were to crush one's head with a sharp point; so too, friend, exceeding winds strike at my head. It is not bearable for me, friend, not endurable, etc. not their receding. Just as, friend, a strong man were to bind one's head with a tight leather strap as a head-band; so too, friend, there is exceeding headache in my head. It is not bearable for me, friend, not endurable, etc. not their receding. Just as, friend, a skilled butcher or a butcher's apprentice were to cut through the belly with a sharp butcher's knife; so too, exceeding winds cut through my belly. It is not bearable for me, friend, not endurable, etc. not their receding. Just as, friend, two strong men, having seized a weaker man by both arms, were to scorch and thoroughly burn him over a charcoal pit; so too, friend, there is exceeding burning in my body. It is not bearable for me, friend, not endurable; excessive unpleasant feelings are advancing for me, not receding; their advancing is evident, not their receding. I will bring the knife, friend Sāriputta, I do not wish for life."
"Let not the Venerable Channa bring the knife. Let the Venerable Channa sustain himself, we wish the Venerable Channa to sustain himself. If the Venerable Channa does not have suitable foods, I will seek suitable foods for the Venerable Channa. If the Venerable Channa does not have suitable medicines, I will seek suitable medicines for the Venerable Channa. If the Venerable Channa does not have suitable attendants, I will attend upon the Venerable Channa. Let not the Venerable Channa bring the knife. Let the Venerable Channa sustain himself, we wish the Venerable Channa to sustain himself."
"It is not that I do not have suitable foods, friend Sāriputta; I have suitable foods. Nor is it that I do not have suitable medicines; I have suitable medicines. Nor is it that I do not have suitable attendants; I have suitable attendants. But, friend, the Teacher has been attended upon by me for a long time with what is agreeable, not with what is disagreeable. For this, friend, is proper for a disciple, that he should attend upon the Teacher with what is agreeable, not with what is disagreeable. 'The monk Channa will bring the knife blamelessly' - remember it thus, friend Sāriputta."
"We would ask the Venerable Channa a certain point, if the Venerable Channa gives permission for the answering of a question." "Ask, friend Sāriputta, having heard I will know."
"Friend Channa, do you regard the eye, eye-consciousness, and phenomena to be cognised by eye-consciousness thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'? Etc. Friend Channa, do you regard the tongue, tongue-consciousness, and phenomena to be cognised by tongue-consciousness thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'? Etc. Friend Channa, do you regard the mind, mind-consciousness, and phenomena to be cognised by mind-consciousness thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?"
"Friend Sāriputta, I regard the eye, eye-consciousness, and phenomena to be cognised by eye-consciousness thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' Etc. Friend Sāriputta, I regard the tongue, tongue-consciousness, and phenomena to be cognised by tongue-consciousness thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' Etc. Friend Sāriputta, I regard the mind, mind-consciousness, and phenomena to be cognised by mind-consciousness thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.'"
"Regarding the eye, friend Channa, regarding eye-consciousness, regarding phenomena to be cognised by eye-consciousness, having seen what, having directly known what, do you regard the eye, eye-consciousness, and phenomena to be cognised by eye-consciousness thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self'? Regarding the tongue, friend Channa, regarding tongue-consciousness, regarding phenomena to be cognised by tongue-consciousness, having seen what, having directly known what, do you regard the tongue, tongue-consciousness, and phenomena to be cognised by tongue-consciousness thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self'? Regarding the mind, friend Channa, regarding mind-consciousness, regarding phenomena to be cognised by mind-consciousness, having seen what, having directly known what, do you regard the mind, mind-consciousness, and phenomena to be cognised by mind-consciousness thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self'?"
"Regarding the eye, friend Sāriputta, regarding eye-consciousness, regarding phenomena to be cognised by eye-consciousness, having seen cessation, having directly known cessation, I regard the eye, eye-consciousness, and phenomena to be cognised by eye-consciousness thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' Etc. Regarding the tongue, friend Sāriputta, regarding tongue-consciousness, regarding phenomena to be cognised by tongue-consciousness, having seen cessation, having directly known cessation, I regard the tongue, tongue-consciousness, and phenomena to be cognised by tongue-consciousness thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' Etc. Regarding the mind, friend Sāriputta, regarding mind-consciousness, regarding phenomena to be cognised by mind-consciousness, having seen cessation, having directly known cessation, I regard the mind, mind-consciousness, and phenomena to be cognised by mind-consciousness thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.'"
When this was said, the Venerable Mahācunda said this to the Venerable Channa - "Therefore, friend Channa, this teaching of the Blessed One should be constantly attended to well - 'For one who is dependent there is wavering, for one who is independent there is no wavering. When there is no wavering there is tranquillity. When there is tranquillity there is no inclination. When there is no inclination there is no coming and going. When there is no coming and going there is no passing away and rebirth. When there is no passing away and rebirth there is neither here nor beyond nor in between the two. This itself is the end of suffering.'"
Then the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahācunda, having exhorted the Venerable Channa with this exhortation, rose from their seats and departed. Then the Venerable Channa, when those venerable ones had recently departed, brought the knife.
Then the Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said this to the Blessed One - "Venerable sir, the Venerable Channa has brought the knife. What is his destination, what is his future life?" "Was not blamelessness declared to you, Sāriputta, by the monk Channa in your very presence?" "There is, venerable sir, a Vajjian village named Pubbavijjana. There the Venerable Channa has friendly families, intimate families, families to be visited." "Indeed, Sāriputta, the monk Channa has these friendly families, intimate families, families to be visited. But I do not say, Sāriputta, that to this extent one is blameworthy. Whoever, Sāriputta, lays down this body and clings to another body - him I call 'blameworthy'. That does not exist for the monk Channa. 'The monk Channa brought the knife blamelessly' - remember it thus, Sāriputta." The fourth.