Samyuktagama 262

Saṃyuktāgama 262. Discourse to Channa

Thus have I heard. At one time a community of many senior monks was staying at Vārāṇasī in the Deer Park at Isipatana, not long after the Buddha had attained final Nirvāṇa.

Then, in the morning, the elder Channa put on his robe and took his bowl to enter the town of Vārāṇasī to beg for food. Having eaten, he put away his robe and bowl. Having washed his feet, he took hold of a door opener and, moving from one grove to another grove, from one dwelling to another dwelling, from one walking path to another walking path, everywhere on seeing monks he made this request: “Give me an instruction, teach me the Dharma, so that I understand the Dharma and see the Dharma, so that I shall understand in accordance with the Dharma and contemplate in accordance with the Dharma.”

Then the monks said to Channa: “Bodily form is impermanent … feeling … perception … formations … consciousness is impermanent. All formations are impermanent, all things are not self, Nirvāṇa is the peace of cessation.”

Channa said to the monks: “I already know that bodily form is impermanent … feeling … perception … formations … consciousness is impermanent; that all formations are impermanent, that all things are not self, and that Nirvāṇa is the peace of cessation.”

Channa further said: “Yet I do not delight in hearing this: ‘All formations, being completely empty, are not to be taken up; the cessation of craving, being free from desire, is Nirvāṇa.’ Herein, how could it be for me to say as if I had realized it: ‘Knowing like this, seeing like this—this is called seeing the Dharma?’” He spoke in this way a second and a third time.

Channa further said: “Herein who else has the power and ability to teach me the Dharma, so that I understand the Dharma and see the Dharma?” Then he thought further: “The venerable Ānanda is now in Ghosita’s Park in the country of Kosambī. Formerly he served and attended on the Blessed One. He was praised by the Buddha and is a good friend to all of his companions in the holy life. He certainly will be able to teach me the Dharma, so that I understand the Dharma and see the Dharma.”

Then, when the night was over, in the morning, Channa put on his robe and took his bowl to enter the town of Vārāṇasī to beg for food. Having eaten, he put away his bedding. Having put away his bedding, he took his robe and bowl to set out for the country of Kosambī. Walking in stages he reached the country of Kosambī. Having put away his robe and bowl, and having washed his feet, he approached the venerable Ānanda. Having exchanged polite greetings, Channa withdrew to sit at one side and then said to the venerable Ānanda:

“At one time senior monks were staying at Vārāṇasī in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then in the morning I put on my robe and took my bowl to enter the town of Vārāṇasī to beg for food. Having eaten, I put away my robe and bowl. Having washed my feet, I took hold of a door opener and, moving from one grove to another grove, from one dwelling to another dwelling, from one walking path to another walking path, everywhere on seeing monks I made this request:

’Give me an instruction, teach me the Dharma, so that I understand the Dharma and see the Dharma.’ Then the monks gave me this teaching: ‘Bodily form is impermanent … feeling … perception … formations … consciousness is impermanent. All formations are impermanent, all things are not self, Nirvāṇa is the peace of cessation.’

“At that time I said to the monks: ‘I already know that bodily form is impermanent … feeling … perception … formations … consciousness is impermanent; that all formations are impermanent, all things are not self, and that Nirvāṇa is the peace of cessation. Yet I do not delight in hearing this: ‘All formations, being completely empty, are not to be taken up; the cessation of craving, being free from desire, is Nirvāṇa.’ Herein, how could it be for me to say as if I had realized it: ‘Knowing like this, seeing like this—this is called seeing the Dharma?’

“At that time I thought: ‘Herein who else has the power and ability to teach me the Dharma, so that I understand the Dharma and see the Dharma?’ Then I thought further: ‘The venerable Ānanda is now in Ghosita’s Park in the country of Kosambī. Formerly he served and attended on the Blessed One. He was praised by the Buddha and is a good friend to all of his companions in the holy life. He certainly will be able to teach me the Dharma, so that I understand the Dharma and see the Dharma.’

“It would be well if the venerable Ānanda now were to teach me the Dharma, so that I understand the Dharma and see the Dharma.”

Then the venerable Ānanda said to the venerable Channa: “It is well, Channa, my mind is greatly pleased. Friend, I rejoice in your ability to come forward among the companions in the holy life, without hiding anything, uprooting the thorn of vanity and falsehood.

“Channa, a foolish worldling is unable to understand fully that bodily form is impermanent, that feeling … perception … formations … consciousness is impermanent; that all formations are impermanent, that all things are not self, and that Nirvāṇa is the peace of cessation. You are now able to accept this sublime teaching. Now listen to what I will tell you.”

Then Channa thought: “I am now delighted and have attained a wonderful state of mind, attained an inspired and joyful state of mind. I am now indeed able to accept this sublime teaching.”

At that time Ānanda told Channa: “Formerly I heard this from the Buddha, an instruction given to Mahākaccāna: ‘People in the world are confused, depending on two extremes: Existence and non-existence. People in the world cling to objects and conceive them in the mind with attachment.

’Kaccāna, if one does not accept, does not cling to, does not get established on and does not conceive of a self, then when this dukkha arises, it just arises; when it ceases, it just ceases. Kaccāna, herein without doubt, without being puzzled, without needing to rely on others, one is able to understand this for oneself—this is called right view, as taught by the Tathāgata. Why is that?

’Kaccāna, rightly contemplating the arising of the world as it really is, one will not give rise to the view of the non-existence of the world. Rightly contemplating the cessation of the world as it really is, one will not give rise to the view of the existence of the world.

’Kaccāna, avoiding these two extremes the Tathāgata teaches the middle way; that is, because this exists, that exists; because of the arising of this, that arises as well; that is, conditioned by ignorance are formations … up to … birth, old age, disease, death, worry, sorrow, vexation, and pain arise. That is, because of this not existing, that does not exist; because of the cessation of this, that ceases as well; that is, with the cessation of ignorance, formations cease … up to … birth, old age, disease, death, worry, sorrow, vexation, and pain cease.’”

When the venerable Ānanda gave this teaching, the monk Channa attained the pure eye of Dharma that is remote from mental dust and free from mental stains. At that time the monk Channa saw the Dharma, attained the Dharma, understood the Dharma, excelled in the Dharma, transcended doubt and without needing to rely on others any more he had attained fearlessness in the Dharma taught by the great teacher. Respectfully with his palms held together he said to the venerable Ānanda:

“This is just as it should be. In this way a knowledgeable and wise companion in the holy life, a skilful good friend instructs, gives instruction, admonishes, and teaches the Dharma. Now hearing the Dharma in this way from the venerable Ānanda that: ‘All formations are empty, they will all be appeased, they are not to be taken up; the cessation of craving, being free from desire, complete eradication, is Nirvāṇa’, my mind delights in it and is rightly established in liberation, without again turning back, without further having a view of a self, only seeing the right Dharma.”

Then Ānanda said to Channa: “You have now attained great benefit in wholesomeness by attaining the noble eye of wisdom into the profound Dharma of the Buddha.”

Then the two worthy ones, who kept on delighting, rose from their seats and returned to their respective former dwellings.