Aṇguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
VIII. Ānanda Vagga
Sutta 71 [DTO #72]
Channa Suttaṃ
To Channa the Wanderer
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Provenance, terms and conditons
[1][pts] On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery.
Then Channa the Wanderer[1] went to Ven. Ānanda and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him.
After an exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, he sat to one side.
As he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Ānanda,
"Do you, too, friend Ānanda, advocate the abandoning of passion?
Do you advocate the abandoning of aversion?
Do you advocate the abandoning of delusion?"
"Yes, friend, we advocate the abandoning of passion,
the abandoning of aversion,
and the abandoning of delusion."
"But, friend Ānanda,
seeing what drawbacks in passion
do you advocate the abandoning of passion?
Seeing what drawbacks in aversion
do you advocate the abandoning of aversion?
Seeing what drawbacks in delusion
do you advocate the abandoning of delusion?"
"A person impassioned,
his mind bound up,
overcome with passion,
wills for his own detriment,
wills for the detriment of others,
wills for the detriment of both.
He also experiences mental stress and sorrow.
But having abandoned passion,
he doesn't will for his own detriment,
doesn't will for the detriment of others,
doesn't will for the detriment of both.
He doesn't experience mental stress or sorrow.
"A person impassioned,
his mind bound up,
overcome with passion,
engages in bodily misconduct,
in verbal misconduct,
in mental misconduct.
But having abandoned passion,
he doesn't engage in bodily misconduct,
in verbal misconduct,
or in mental misconduct.
"A person impassioned,
his mind bound up,
overcome with passion,
doesn't discern, as it has come to be,
what is of profit to himself,
what is of profit to others,
what is of profit to both.
But having abandoned passion,
he discerns, as it has come to be,
what is of profit to himself,
what is of profit to others,
what is of profit to both.
"Passion, my friend,
makes you blind,
makes you sightless,
makes you ignorant.
It brings about the cessation of discernment,
is conducive to trouble,
and does not lead to Unbinding.
"An aversive person,
his mind bound up,
overcome with aversion,
wills for his own detriment,
wills for the detriment of others,
wills for the detriment of both.
He also experiences mental stress and sorrow.
But having abandoned aversion,
he doesn't will for his own detriment,
doesn't will for the detriment of others,
doesn't will for the detriment of both.
He doesn't experience mental stress or sorrow.
"An aversive person,
his mind bound up,
overcome with aversion,
engages in bodily misconduct,
in verbal misconduct,
in mental misconduct.
But having abandoned aversion,
he doesn't engage in bodily misconduct,
in verbal misconduct,
or in mental misconduct.
"An aversive person,
his mind bound up,
overcome with aversion,
doesn't discern, as it has come to be,
what is of profit to himself,
what is of profit to others,
what is of profit to both.
But having abandoned aversion,
he discerns, as it has come to be,
what is of profit to himself,
what is of profit to others,
what is of profit to both.
"Aversion, my friend,
makes you blind,
makes you sightless,
makes you ignorant.
It brings about the cessation of discernment,
is conducive to trouble,
and does not lead to Unbinding.
"A deluded person,
his mind bound up,
overcome with delusion,
wills for his own detriment,
wills for the detriment of others,
wills for the detriment of both.
He also experiences mental stress and sorrow.
But having abandoned delusion,
he doesn't will for his own detriment,
doesn't will for the detriment of others,
doesn't will for the detriment of both.
He doesn't experience mental stress or sorrow.
"A deluded person,
his mind bound up,
overcome with delusion,
engages in bodily misconduct,
in verbal misconduct,
in mental misconduct.
But having abandoned delusion,
he doesn't engage in bodily misconduct,
in verbal misconduct,
or in mental misconduct.
"A deluded person,
his mind bound up,
overcome with delusion,
doesn't discern,
as it has come to be,
what is of profit to himself,
what is of profit to others,
what is of profit to both.
But having abandoned delusion,
he discerns, as it has come to be,
what is of profit to himself,
what is of profit to others,
what is of profit to both.
"Delusion, my friend,
makes you blind,
makes you sightless,
makes you ignorant.
It brings about the cessation of discernment,
is conducive to trouble,
and does not lead to Unbinding.
"Seeing these drawbacks in passion
we advocate the abandoning of passion.
Seeing these drawbacks in aversion
we advocate the abandoning of aversion.
Seeing these drawbacks in delusion we
advocate the abandoning of delusion."
"But is there, my friend, a path, is there a way
to the abandoning of that passion, aversion, and delusion?"
"Yes, my friend, there is a path, there is a way
to the abandoning of that passion, aversion, and delusion."
"And what is that path, my friend, what is that way
to the abandoning of that passion, aversion, and delusion?"
"Just this noble eightfold path:
right view,
right resolve,
right speech,
right action,
right livelihood,
right effort,
right mindfulness,
right concentration.
This is the path, this is the way
to the abandoning of that passion, aversion, and delusion."
"It is an auspicious path, my friend Ānanda,
it is an auspicious way to the abandoning of that passion, aversion, and delusion
— enough for the sake of heedfulness."
[1] This is not the same Channa as the one mentioned in DN 16, SN 22.90, or the origin story to Saṇghādisesa 12
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