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AN 3.71PTS AN 1.2152 min read

With Channa

Channasutta

Why should we give up greed, hate, and delusion?

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.71Numbered Discourses 3.71
  • 0.28. Ānandavagga8. Ānanda

0.3ChannasuttaWith Channa

1.1PTS 1.216Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.1.2Atha kho channo paribbājako yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ sammodi.Then the wanderer Channa went up to Venerable Ānanda and exchanged greetings with him.1.3Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho channo paribbājako āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Ānanda:

1.4“tumhepi, āvuso ānanda, rāgassa pahānaṁ paññāpetha, dosassa pahānaṁ paññāpetha, mohassa pahānaṁ paññāpethā”ti.“Reverend Ānanda, do you advocate giving up greed, hate, and delusion?”

1.5“Mayaṁ kho, āvuso, rāgassa pahānaṁ paññāpema, dosassa pahānaṁ paññāpema, mohassa pahānaṁ paññapemā”ti.“We do, reverend.”

2.1“Kiṁ pana tumhe, āvuso, rāge ādīnavaṁ disvā rāgassa pahānaṁ paññāpetha, kiṁ dose ādīnavaṁ disvā dosassa pahānaṁ paññāpetha, kiṁ mohe ādīnavaṁ disvā mohassa pahānaṁ paññāpethā”ti?“But what drawbacks have you seen, Reverend Ānanda, that you advocate giving up greed, hate, and delusion?”

3.1“Ratto kho, āvuso, rāgena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto attabyābādhāyapi ceteti, parabyābādhāyapi ceteti, ubhayabyābādhāyapi ceteti, cetasikampi dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti;“A greedy person, overcome by greed, intends to hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. They experience mental pain and sadness.3.2rāge pahīne nevattabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na parabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na ubhayabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na cetasikaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.When greed has been given up, they don’t intend to hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. They don’t experience mental pain and sadness.3.3Ratto kho, āvuso, rāgena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati;A greedy person does bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.3.4rāge pahīne neva kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, na vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, na manasā duccaritaṁ carati.When greed has been given up, they don’t do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.3.5Ratto kho, āvuso, rāgena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto attatthampi yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, paratthampi yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, ubhayatthampi yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti;A greedy person doesn’t truly understand what’s for their own good, the good of another, or the good of both.3.6rāge pahīne attatthampi yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, paratthampi yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ubhayatthampi yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.When greed has been given up, they truly understand what’s for their own good, the good of another, or the good of both.3.7Rāgo kho, āvuso, andhakaraṇo acakkhukaraṇo aññāṇakaraṇo paññānirodhiko vighātapakkhiko anibbānasaṁvattaniko.Greed is a destroyer of sight, vision, and knowledge. It blocks wisdom, it’s on the side of distress, and it doesn’t lead to extinguishment.

4.1PTS 1.217Duṭṭho kho, āvuso, dosena …pe…A hateful person, overcome by hate, intends to hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. …

4.2mūḷho kho, āvuso, mohena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto attabyābādhāyapi ceteti, parabyābādhāyapi ceteti, ubhayabyābādhāyapi ceteti, cetasikampi dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti;A deluded person, overcome by delusion, intends to hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. They experience mental pain and sadness.4.3mohe pahīne nevattabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na parabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na ubhayabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na cetasikaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.When delusion has been given up, they don’t intend to hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. They don’t experience mental pain and sadness.4.4Mūḷho kho, āvuso, mohena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati;A deluded person does bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.4.5mohe pahīne neva kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, na vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, na manasā duccaritaṁ carati.When delusion has been given up, they don’t do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.4.6Mūḷho kho, āvuso, mohena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto attatthampi yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, paratthampi yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, ubhayatthampi yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti;A deluded person doesn’t truly understand what’s for their own good, the good of another, or the good of both.4.7mohe pahīne attatthampi yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, paratthampi yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ubhayatthampi yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.When delusion has been given up, they truly understand what’s for their own good, the good of another, or the good of both.4.8Moho kho, āvuso, andhakaraṇo acakkhukaraṇo aññāṇakaraṇo paññānirodhiko vighātapakkhiko anibbānasaṁvattaniko.Delusion is a destroyer of sight, vision, and knowledge; it blocks wisdom, it’s on the side of distress, and it doesn’t lead to extinguishment.

4.9Idaṁ kho mayaṁ, āvuso, rāge ādīnavaṁ disvā rāgassa pahānaṁ paññāpema.This is the drawback we’ve seen in greed, hate, and delusion, and this is why we advocate giving them up.”4.10Idaṁ dose ādīnavaṁ disvā dosassa pahānaṁ paññāpema.4.11Idaṁ mohe ādīnavaṁ disvā mohassa pahānaṁ paññāpemā”ti.

5.1“Atthi panāvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā etassa rāgassa dosassa mohassa pahānāyā”ti?“But, reverend, is there a path and a practice for giving up that greed, hate, and delusion?”

5.2“Atthāvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā etassa rāgassa dosassa mohassa pahānāyā”ti.“There is, reverend, a path and a practice for giving up that greed, hate, and delusion.”

5.3“Katamo panāvuso, maggo katamā paṭipadā etassa rāgassa dosassa mohassa pahānāyā”ti?“Well, what is it?”

5.4“Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ—“It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:5.5sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.5.6Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā etassa rāgassa dosassa mohassa pahānāyā”ti.This is the path, this is the practice for giving up that greed, hate, and delusion.”

5.7“Bhaddako kho, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā etassa rāgassa dosassa mohassa pahānāya.“This is a fine path, a fine practice, for giving up that greed, hate, and delusion.5.8Alañca panāvuso ānanda, appamādāyā”ti.Just this much is enough for diligence.”

5.9Paṭhamaṁ.