Channa Sutta
SN 22.90
Translated by Gil Fronsdal
At one time, many elder bhikkus were living at Varanasi, in the Deer Park at Isipatana.
Then in the evening, Venerable Channa emerged from seclusion. Taking a key, he went from monastic dwelling to monastic dwelling. Approaching the elder bhikkhus, he said,
“May the elder bhikkhus instruct me! May the elder bhikkhus teach me! May the elder bhikkhus provide me a Dhamma talk so I can see the Dhamma.”
When this was said, the elder bhikkhus said to Venerable Channa,
“Friend Channa, appearance is inconstant. Feeling is inconstant. Recognition is inconstant. Mental constructs are inconstant. Cognition is inconstant.
“Appearance is not self. Feeling is not self. Recognition is not self. Mental constructs are not self. Cognition is not self.
“All mental constructs are inconstant. All dhammas are not self.”
Then there occurred this to Venerable Channa,
“It occurs to me also that appearance is inconstant. Feeling is inconstant. Recognition is inconstant. Mental constructs are inconstant. Cognition is inconstant. Appearance is not self. Feeling is not self. Recognition is not self. Mental constructs are not self. Cognition is not self. All mental constructs are inconstant. All dhammas are not self.
“But my mind is not leaping [in inspiration], confident, settled or resolved about the quieting of all mental constructs, the giving up of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, nibbāna.
“[Instead,] anxiety and clinging arises. My mind is spinning. For someone who sees the dhamma, it does not occur [to ask]‘ Who, then, is my self?” So I can see the dhamma, who can point out the dhamma?”
Then it occurred to venerable Channa,
“Staying in Kosambi at the Ghosita Park [monastery] is Venerable Ananda, praised by our Teacher and esteemed by his wise companions in the holy life. Venerable Ananda can point out the dhamma so I can see the dhamma. I have a lot of love for Venerable Ananda; why don’t I visit him.
Then, Venerable Channa having set his sleeping place in order, and taken his bowl and robe, set out for the Ghosita Park in Kosambi. Arriving, he exchanged friendly greetings with Venerable Ananda. Taking a seat to the one side, Venerable Channa said,
“At one time, I was living at Varanasi, in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then in the evening, I emerged from seclusion. Taking a key, I went from monastic dwelling to monastic dwelling. Approaching the elder bhikkhus, I said, “May the elder bhikkhus instruct me! …” [repeats the story above until:]
‘Then it occurred to me, “Staying in Kosambi at the Ghosita Park [monastery] is Venerable Ananda, praised by our Teacher and esteemed by his wise companions in the holy life. Venerable Ananda can point out the dhamma so I can see the dhamma. I have a lot of love for Venerable Ananda; why don’t I visit him.
“May Venerable Ananda instruct me! May Venerable Ananda teach me! May Venerable Ananda provide me a Dhamma talk so I can see the Dhamma.”
“On this matter, I am certainly delighted with Venerable Channa that you have opened up and cut through your obstinacy. Listen, venerable! Give ear, Channa. You can understand the Dhamma!
Then, [thinking,] “It seems I am capable of understanding the Dhamma,” a great rapture and delight sprung up for Venerable Channa.
“Reverend Channa; in the presence of the Bhagavan, I heard and took in this instruction to Venerable Kaccayana:
“Kaccāna, mostly this world relies on the dyad of existence and non-existence. But when one sees with right wisdom the arising of the world as it comes to be, the [thought] ‘non-existence of the world’ won’t occur. When one sees with right wisdom the cessation of the world as it comes to be, the [thought] ‘existence of the world’ won’t occur.
“Kaccāna, mostly this world is attached, clinging, fixation, and in bondage. But toward these mental attachments, clingings, resolves, fixations, and lingering dispositions one does not attach, cling, or resolve, ‘this is my self.’ One will [then] have no doubt or indecisiveness that that very[1] dukkha, when arising, is [clearly] arising, and that suffering, when ceasing, is [clearly] ceasing.” With this, one’s knowledge is independent of others. This, Kaccāna, is how there is right view.
“Kaccāna, ‘everything exists’ is one extreme. ‘Everything does not exist’ is a second extreme. Avoiding these two extremes, the Tathāgata teaches the Dharma through the middle:
“Mental constructions depend on ignorance. Cognition depends mental constructions. Name and appearance depends on cognition. The six senses depend on name and appearances. Contact depends on the six sense fields. Feeling depends on contact. Thirst depends on contact. Grasping depends on thirst. Becoming depends on grasping. Birth depends on becoming. Sickness, old age and death depend on birth. This is the arising of the entire bundle of suffering.
“With the complete fading away and cessation of ignorance is the cessation of mental constructions. With the cessation of mental constructions is cessation of cognition. With the cessation of cognition is the cessation of name and appearances. With the cessation of name and appearances is the cessation of the six sense fields. With the cessation of the six sense fields is the cessation of contact. With the cessation of contact is the cessation of thirst. With the cessation of thirst is the cessation of grasping. With the cessation of grasping is the cessation of becoming. With the cessation of becoming is the cessation of birth. With the cessation of birth is the cessation of sickness, old age, and death. This is the cessation of the entire bundle of suffering.”
“Reverend Ānanda, this is how it is to have care, well-wishing, instruction and teaching by venerable who are companions in the holy life. Having heard this Dhamma lesson from Venerable Ānanda, the Dhamma has been fully settled.
[1] The Sanskrit Fragment 168 parallel has idaṃ (this) where the Pali has eva. This suggests that we could translate eva using Margaret Cone’s first meaning in her entry for eva, i.e., “that very.” Eva is then being used to refer to “that very” suffering of “mental attachments and clingings, resolves, fixations, and dormant dispositions.” The SN A commentary equates dukkhameva with pañcupādānakkhandhamattameva (nidānavagga-aṭṭhakathā, kaccānagottasuttavaṇṇanā), which specifies what is being referred to as dukkha.