Visiting the gravely ill Venerable Channa, Sāriputta and Mahācunda counsel him; the Buddha later declares that Channa's knife-death was blameless because he was not attached and had cut craving.

MN 144 Advice to Channa

Evaṁ me sutaṁ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahācundo āyasmā ca channo gijjhakūṭe pabbate viharanti.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā channo ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā mahācundo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahācundaṁ etadavoca: “āyāmāvuso cunda, yenāyasmā channo tenupasaṅkamissāma gilānapucchakā”ti.

“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā mahācundo āyasmato sāriputtassa paccassosi.

Atha kho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahācundo yenāyasmā channo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā channena saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ channaṁ etadavoca: “kacci te, āvuso channa, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ? Kacci te dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti, no abhikkamanti; paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no abhikkamo”ti?

“Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo. Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, balavā puriso tiṇhena sikharena muddhani abhimattheyya; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimattā vātā muddhani ūhananti. Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati no paṭikkamo. Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, balavā puriso daḷhena varattakkhaṇḍena sīse sīsaveṭhaṁ dadeyya; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimattā sīse sīsavedanā. Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo. Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, dakkho goghātako goghātakantevāsī tiṇhena govikantanena kucchiṁ parikanteyya; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimattā vātā kucchiṁ parikantanti. Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo. Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, dve balavanto purisā dubbalataraṁ purisaṁ nānābāhāsu gahetvā aṅgārakāsuyā santāpeyyuṁ samparitāpeyyuṁ; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimatto kāyasmiṁ ḍāho. Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo. Satthaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, āharissāmi, nāvakaṅkhāmi jīvitan”ti.

“Māyasmā channo satthaṁ āharesi. Yāpetāyasmā channo. Yāpentaṁ mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ icchāma. Sace āyasmato channassa natthi sappāyāni bhojanāni, ahaṁ āyasmato channassa sappāyāni bhojanāni pariyesissāmi. Sace āyasmato channassa natthi sappāyāni bhesajjāni, ahaṁ āyasmato channassa sappāyāni bhesajjāni pariyesissāmi. Sace āyasmato channassa natthi patirūpā upaṭṭhākā, ahaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ upaṭṭhahissāmi. Māyasmā channo satthaṁ āharesi. Yāpetāyasmā channo. Yāpentaṁ mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ icchāmā”ti.

“Napi me, āvuso sāriputta, natthi sappāyāni bhojanāni; napi me natthi sappāyāni bhesajjāni; napi me natthi patirūpā upaṭṭhākā; api cāvuso sāriputta, pariciṇṇo me satthā dīgharattaṁ manāpeneva no amanāpena. Etañhi, āvuso sāriputta, sāvakassa patirūpaṁ yaṁ satthāraṁ paricareyya manāpeneva no amanāpena. ‘Anupavajjaṁ channo bhikkhu satthaṁ āharissatī’ti evametaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, dhārehī”ti.

“Puccheyyāma mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ kañcideva desaṁ, sace āyasmā channo okāsaṁ karoti pañhassa veyyākaraṇāyā”ti.

“Pucchāvuso sāriputta, sutvā vedissāmī”ti.

“Cakkhuṁ, āvuso channa, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassasi? Sotaṁ, āvuso channa, sotaviññāṇaṁ …pe… ghānaṁ, āvuso channa, ghānaviññāṇaṁjivhaṁ, āvuso channa, jivhāviññāṇaṁkāyaṁ, āvuso channa, kāyaviññāṇaṁmanaṁ, āvuso channa, manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassasī”ti?

“Cakkhuṁ, āvuso sāriputta, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmi. Sotaṁ, āvuso sāriputta …pe… ghānaṁ, āvuso sāriputtajivhaṁ, āvuso sāriputtakāyaṁ, āvuso sāriputtamanaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmī”ti.

“Cakkhusmiṁ, āvuso channa, cakkhuviññāṇe cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu kiṁ disvā kiṁ abhiññāya cakkhuṁ cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassasi? Sotasmiṁ, āvuso channa, sotaviññāṇeghānasmiṁ, āvuso channa, ghānaviññāṇejivhāya, āvuso channa, jivhāviññāṇekāyasmiṁ, āvuso channa, kāyaviññāṇemanasmiṁ, āvuso channa, manoviññāṇe manoviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu kiṁ disvā kiṁ abhiññāya manaṁ manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassasī”ti?

“Cakkhusmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, cakkhuviññāṇe cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu nirodhaṁ disvā nirodhaṁ abhiññāya cakkhuṁ cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmi. Sotasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, sotaviññāṇeghānasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, ghānaviññāṇejivhāya, āvuso sāriputta, jivhāviññāṇekāyasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, kāyaviññāṇemanasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, manoviññāṇe manoviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu nirodhaṁ disvā nirodhaṁ abhiññāya manaṁ manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmī”ti.

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā mahācundo āyasmantaṁ channaṁ etadavoca:

“tasmātiha, āvuso channa, idampi tassa bhagavato sāsanaṁ, niccakappaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ: ‘nissitassa calitaṁ, anissitassa calitaṁ natthi. Calite asati passaddhi, passaddhiyā sati nati na hoti. Natiyā asati āgatigati na hoti. Āgatigatiyā asati cutūpapāto na hoti. Cutūpapāte asati nevidha na huraṁ na ubhayamantarena. Esevanto dukkhassā’”ti. Atha kho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahācundo āyasmantaṁ channaṁ iminā ovādena ovaditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu.

Atha kho āyasmā channo acirapakkante āyasmante ca sāriputte āyasmante ca mahācunde satthaṁ āharesi.

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “āyasmatā, bhante, channena satthaṁ āharitaṁ. Tassa gati, ko abhisamparāyo”ti?

“Nanu te, sāriputta, channena bhikkhunā sammukhāyeva anupavajjatā byākatā”ti?

“Atthi, bhante, pubbajiraṁ nāma vajjigāmo. Tatthāyasmato channassa mittakulāni suhajjakulāni upavajjakulānī”ti.

“Honti hete, sāriputta, channassa bhikkhuno mittakulāni suhajjakulāni upavajjakulāni. Nāhaṁ, sāriputta, ettāvatā ‘saupavajjo’ti vadāmi. Yo kho, sāriputta, imañca kāyaṁ nikkhipati aññañca kāyaṁ upādiyati tamahaṁ ‘saupavajjo’ti vadāmi. Taṁ channassa bhikkhuno natthi. ‘Anupavajjo channo bhikkhu satthaṁ āharesī’ti evametaṁ, sāriputta, dhārehī”ti.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā sāriputto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.

Channovādasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Evaṁ me sutaṁ

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahācundo āyasmā ca channo gijjhakūṭe pabbate viharanti.

Now at that time the venerables Sāriputta, Mahācunda, and Channa were staying on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā channo ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.

Now at that time Venerable Channa was sick, suffering, gravely ill.

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā mahācundo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahācundaṁ etadavoca:

Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Sāriputta came out of retreat, went to Venerable Mahācunda and said to him,

“āyāmāvuso cunda, yenāyasmā channo tenupasaṅkamissāma gilānapucchakā”ti.

“Come, Reverend Cunda, let’s go to see Venerable Channa and ask about his illness.”

“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā mahācundo āyasmato sāriputtassa paccassosi.

“Yes, reverend,” replied Mahācunda.

Atha kho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahācundo yenāyasmā channo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā channena saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu.

And then Sāriputta and Mahācunda went to see Channa and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ channaṁ etadavoca:

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side. Then Sāriputta said to Channa,

“kacci te, āvuso channa, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ? Kacci te dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti, no abhikkamanti; paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no abhikkamo”ti?

“I hope you’re keeping well, Reverend Channa; I hope you’re all right. I hope that your pain is fading, not growing, that its fading is evident, not its growing.”

“Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.

“Reverend Sāriputta, I’m not keeping well, I’m not getting by. The pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.

Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, balavā puriso tiṇhena sikharena muddhani abhimattheyya; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimattā vātā muddhani ūhananti.

The winds piercing my head are so severe, it feels like a strong man drilling into my head with a sharp point.

Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati no paṭikkamo.

Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, balavā puriso daḷhena varattakkhaṇḍena sīse sīsaveṭhaṁ dadeyya; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimattā sīse sīsavedanā.

The pain in my head is so severe, it feels like a strong man tightening a strong leather strap around my head.

Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.

Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, dakkho goghātako goghātakantevāsī tiṇhena govikantanena kucchiṁ parikanteyya; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimattā vātā kucchiṁ parikantanti.

The winds slicing my belly are so severe, like a deft butcher or their apprentice were slicing open a cows’s belly with a sharp meat cleaver.

Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.

Seyyathāpi, āvuso sāriputta, dve balavanto purisā dubbalataraṁ purisaṁ nānābāhāsu gahetvā aṅgārakāsuyā santāpeyyuṁ samparitāpeyyuṁ; evameva kho me, āvuso sāriputta, adhimatto kāyasmiṁ ḍāho.

The burning in my body is so severe, it feels like two strong men grabbing a weaker man by the arms to burn and scorch him on a pit of glowing coals.

Na me, āvuso sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.

I’m not keeping well, I’m not getting by. The pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.

Satthaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, āharissāmi, nāvakaṅkhāmi jīvitan”ti.

Reverend Sāriputta, I shall commit suicide. I don’t wish to live.”

“Māyasmā channo satthaṁ āharesi.

“Please don’t commit suicide!

Yāpetāyasmā channo. Yāpentaṁ mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ icchāma.

Venerable Channa, keep going! We want you to keep going.

Sace āyasmato channassa natthi sappāyāni bhojanāni, ahaṁ āyasmato channassa sappāyāni bhojanāni pariyesissāmi.

If you don’t have any suitable food, we’ll find it for you.

Sace āyasmato channassa natthi sappāyāni bhesajjāni, ahaṁ āyasmato channassa sappāyāni bhesajjāni pariyesissāmi.

If you don’t have suitable medicine, we’ll find it for you.

Sace āyasmato channassa natthi patirūpā upaṭṭhākā, ahaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ upaṭṭhahissāmi.

If you don’t have a capable carer, we’ll find one for you.

Māyasmā channo satthaṁ āharesi.

Please don’t commit suicide!

Yāpetāyasmā channo. Yāpentaṁ mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ icchāmā”ti.

Venerable Channa, keep going! We want you to keep going.”

“Napi me, āvuso sāriputta, natthi sappāyāni bhojanāni;

“Reverend Sāriputta, it’s not that I don’t have suitable food,

napi me natthi sappāyāni bhesajjāni;

or suitable medicine,

napi me natthi patirūpā upaṭṭhākā;

or a capable carer.

api cāvuso sāriputta, pariciṇṇo me satthā dīgharattaṁ manāpeneva no amanāpena.

Moreover, for a long time now I have served the Teacher with love, not without love.

Etañhi, āvuso sāriputta, sāvakassa patirūpaṁ yaṁ satthāraṁ paricareyya manāpeneva no amanāpena.

For it is proper for a disciple to serve the Teacher with love, not without love.

‘Anupavajjaṁ channo bhikkhu satthaṁ āharissatī’ti evametaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, dhārehī”ti.

You should remember this: ‘The mendicant Channa will commit suicide blamelessly.’”

“Puccheyyāma mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ channaṁ kañcideva desaṁ, sace āyasmā channo okāsaṁ karoti pañhassa veyyākaraṇāyā”ti.

“I’d like to ask you about a certain point, if you’d take the time to answer.”

“Pucchāvuso sāriputta, sutvā vedissāmī”ti.

“Ask, Reverend Sāriputta. When I’ve heard it I’ll know.”

“Cakkhuṁ, āvuso channa, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassasi?

“Reverend Channa, do you regard the eye, eye consciousness, and things knowable by eye consciousness in this way: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?

Sotaṁ, āvuso channa, sotaviññāṇaṁ …pe…

Do you regard the ear …

ghānaṁ, āvuso channa, ghānaviññāṇaṁ

nose …

jivhaṁ, āvuso channa, jivhāviññāṇaṁ

tongue …

kāyaṁ, āvuso channa, kāyaviññāṇaṁ

body …

manaṁ, āvuso channa, manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassasī”ti?

mind, mind consciousness, and things knowable by mind consciousness in this way: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“Cakkhuṁ, āvuso sāriputta, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmi.

“Reverend Sāriputta, I regard the eye, eye consciousness, and things knowable by eye consciousness in this way: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’

Sotaṁ, āvuso sāriputta …pe…

I regard the ear …

ghānaṁ, āvuso sāriputta

nose …

jivhaṁ, āvuso sāriputta

tongue …

kāyaṁ, āvuso sāriputta

body …

manaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmī”ti.

mind, mind consciousness, and things knowable by mind consciousness in this way: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self’.”

“Cakkhusmiṁ, āvuso channa, cakkhuviññāṇe cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu kiṁ disvā kiṁ abhiññāya cakkhuṁ cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassasi?

“Reverend Channa, what have you seen, what have you directly known in these things that you regard them in this way: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self’?”

Sotasmiṁ, āvuso channa, sotaviññāṇe

ghānasmiṁ, āvuso channa, ghānaviññāṇe

jivhāya, āvuso channa, jivhāviññāṇe

kāyasmiṁ, āvuso channa, kāyaviññāṇe

manasmiṁ, āvuso channa, manoviññāṇe manoviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu kiṁ disvā kiṁ abhiññāya manaṁ manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassasī”ti?

“Cakkhusmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, cakkhuviññāṇe cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu nirodhaṁ disvā nirodhaṁ abhiññāya cakkhuṁ cakkhuviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmi.

“Reverend Sāriputta, after seeing cessation, after directly knowing cessation in these things I regard them in this way: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self’.”

Sotasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, sotaviññāṇe

ghānasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, ghānaviññāṇe

jivhāya, āvuso sāriputta, jivhāviññāṇe

kāyasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, kāyaviññāṇe

manasmiṁ, āvuso sāriputta, manoviññāṇe manoviññāṇaviññātabbesu dhammesu nirodhaṁ disvā nirodhaṁ abhiññāya manaṁ manoviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaviññātabbe dhamme ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassāmī”ti.

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā mahācundo āyasmantaṁ channaṁ etadavoca:

When he said this, Venerable Mahācunda said to Venerable Channa:

“tasmātiha, āvuso channa, idampi tassa bhagavato sāsanaṁ, niccakappaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ:

“So, Reverend Channa, you should regularly apply your mind to this instruction of the Buddha:

‘nissitassa calitaṁ, anissitassa calitaṁ natthi.

‘For the dependent there is agitation. For the independent there’s no agitation.

Calite asati passaddhi,

When there’s no agitation there is tranquility.

passaddhiyā sati nati na hoti.

When there is tranquility there’s no inclination.

Natiyā asati āgatigati na hoti.

When there’s no inclination there’s no coming and going.

Āgatigatiyā asati cutūpapāto na hoti.

When there’s no coming and going there’s no passing away and reappearing.

Cutūpapāte asati nevidha na huraṁ na ubhayamantarena.

When there’s no passing away and reappearing there’s no this life or the next or between the two.

Esevanto dukkhassā’”ti.

Just this is the end of suffering.’”

Atha kho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahācundo āyasmantaṁ channaṁ iminā ovādena ovaditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu.

And when the venerables Sāriputta and Mahācunda had given Venerable Channa this advice they rose from their seat and left.

Atha kho āyasmā channo acirapakkante āyasmante ca sāriputte āyasmante ca mahācunde satthaṁ āharesi.

Not long after those venerables had left, Venerable Channa committed suicide.

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

“āyasmatā, bhante, channena satthaṁ āharitaṁ.

“Sir, Venerable Channa has committed suicide.

Tassa gati, ko abhisamparāyo”ti?

Where has he been reborn in his next life?”

“Nanu te, sāriputta, channena bhikkhunā sammukhāyeva anupavajjatā byākatā”ti?

“Sāriputta, didn’t the mendicant Channa declare his blamelessness to you personally?”

“Atthi, bhante, pubbajiraṁ nāma vajjigāmo.

“Sir, there is a Vajjian village named Pubbajira.

Tatthāyasmato channassa mittakulāni suhajjakulāni upavajjakulānī”ti.

There Channa had families who were friendly, intimate, and hospitable.”

“Honti hete, sāriputta, channassa bhikkhuno mittakulāni suhajjakulāni upavajjakulāni.

“The mendicant Channa did indeed have such families.

Nāhaṁ, sāriputta, ettāvatā ‘saupavajjo’ti vadāmi.

But this is not enough for me to call someone ‘blameworthy’.

Yo kho, sāriputta, imañca kāyaṁ nikkhipati aññañca kāyaṁ upādiyati tamahaṁ ‘saupavajjo’ti vadāmi.

When someone lays down this body and takes up another body, I call them ‘blameworthy’.

Taṁ channassa bhikkhuno natthi.

But the mendicant Channa did no such thing.

‘Anupavajjo channo bhikkhu satthaṁ āharesī’ti evametaṁ, sāriputta, dhārehī”ti.

You should remember this: ‘The mendicant Channa committed suicide blamelessly.’”

Idamavoca bhagavā.

That is what the Buddha said.

Attamano āyasmā sāriputto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.

Satisfied, Venerable Sāriputta approved what the Buddha said.

Channovādasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dutiyaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Attachment

Attachment

A mental fastening onto people, things, views, or states as “me” or “mine,” unwilling to release them. This clinging can give a sense of security and sweetness.

Also known as: acquisition, bond, clinging, grasping, holding on, possession, entanglement, bound, connected, taking as mine
Pāli: upadhi, upādāna, sakiñcana, mamatta
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Giving up

Giving up

The mental quality of renunciation and release from attachment. It delights in simplicity and freedom rather than in sensual pleasure. Giving up is not loss but the joyful abandoning of burden, opening the way to peace and insight.

Also known as: renunciation, relinquishment, letting go, abandonment
Pāli: nekkhamma
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Investigation

Investigation

Investigation involves the process of a careful inquiry of mental states, qualities, and phenomena, examining their arising, persisting, and ceasing in order to understand their true nature and support the cultivation of wisdom and awakening.

Also known as: inquiry, contemplation, examination, analysis, exploration
Pāli: vicaya, vīmaṃsā, parikkhati
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Liberation

Liberation

Liberation can imply a temporary release of the mind, i.e. liberated from certain unwholesome mental qualities or complete liberation from all unwholesome qualities of the mind, i.e. Nibbāna.

Also known as: freedom, release, emancipation, deliverance
Pāli: vimutti, vimokkha, cetovimutti, paññāvimutti, akuppā cetovimutti
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026