AN 3.71

Channasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho channo paribbājako yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho channo paribbājako āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: “tumhepi, āvuso ānanda, rāgassa pahānaṁ paññāpetha, dosassa pahānaṁ paññāpetha, mohassa pahānaṁ paññāpethā”ti. “Mayaṁ kho, āvuso, rāgassa pahānaṁ paññāpema, dosassa pahānaṁ paññāpema, mohassa pahānaṁ paññapemā”ti.

With Channa

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then the wanderer Channa went up to Venerable Ānanda and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Ānanda: “Reverend Ānanda, do you advocate giving up greed, hate, and delusion?” “We do, reverend.”

“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?”

“Ratto kho, āvuso, rāgena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto attabyābādhāyapi ceteti, parabyābādhāyapi ceteti, ubhayabyābādhāyapi ceteti, cetasikampi dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti; rāge pahīne nevattabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na parabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na ubhayabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na cetasikaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti. Ratto kho, āvuso, rāgena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati; rāge pahīne neva kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, na vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, na manasā duccaritaṁ carati. Ratto kho, āvuso, rāgena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto attatthampi yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, paratthampi yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, ubhayatthampi yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti; rāge pahīne attatthampi yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, paratthampi yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ubhayatthampi yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Rāgo kho, āvuso, andhakaraṇo acakkhukaraṇo aññāṇakaraṇo paññānirodhiko vighātapakkhiko anibbānasaṁvattaniko.

“A greedy person, overcome by greed, intends to hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. They experience mental pain and sadness. 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. A greedy person does bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. When greed has been given up, they don’t do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. A greedy person doesn’t truly understand what’s for their own good, the good of another, or the good of both. When greed has been given up, they truly understand what’s for their own good, the good of another, or the good of both. 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.

Duṭṭho kho, āvuso, dosena …pe… mūḷho kho, āvuso, mohena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto attabyābādhāyapi ceteti, parabyābādhāyapi ceteti, ubhayabyābādhāyapi ceteti, cetasikampi dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti; mohe pahīne nevattabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na parabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na ubhayabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na cetasikaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti. Mūḷho kho, āvuso, mohena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati; mohe pahīne neva kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, na vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, na manasā duccaritaṁ carati. Mūḷho kho, āvuso, mohena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto attatthampi yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, paratthampi yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, ubhayatthampi yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti; mohe pahīne attatthampi yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, paratthampi yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ubhayatthampi yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Moho kho, āvuso, andhakaraṇo acakkhukaraṇo aññāṇakaraṇo paññānirodhiko vighātapakkhiko anibbānasaṁvattaniko. Idaṁ kho mayaṁ, āvuso, rāge ādīnavaṁ disvā rāgassa pahānaṁ paññāpema. Idaṁ dose ādīnavaṁ disvā dosassa pahānaṁ paññāpema. Idaṁ mohe ādīnavaṁ disvā mohassa pahānaṁ paññāpemā”ti.

A hateful person, overcome by hate, intends to hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. … A deluded person, overcome by delusion, intends to hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. They experience mental pain and sadness. 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. A deluded person does bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. When delusion has been given up, they don’t do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. A deluded person doesn’t truly understand what’s for their own good, the good of another, or the good of both. When delusion has been given up, they truly understand what’s for their own good, the good of another, or the good of both. 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. This is the drawback we’ve seen in greed, hate, and delusion, and this is why we advocate giving them up.”

“Atthi panāvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā etassa rāgassa dosassa mohassa pahānāyā”ti? “Atthāvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā etassa rāgassa dosassa mohassa pahānāyā”ti. “Katamo panāvuso, maggo katamā paṭipadā etassa rāgassa dosassa mohassa pahānāyā”ti? “Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ— sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi. Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā etassa rāgassa dosassa mohassa pahānāyā”ti. “Bhaddako kho, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā etassa rāgassa dosassa mohassa pahānāya. Alañca panāvuso ānanda, appamādāyā”ti.

“But, reverend, is there a path and a practice for giving up that greed, hate, and delusion?” “There is, reverend, a path and a practice for giving up that greed, hate, and delusion.” “Well, what is it?” “It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. This is the path, this is the practice for giving up that greed, hate, and delusion.” “This is a fine path, a fine practice, for giving up that greed, hate, and delusion. Just this much is enough for diligence.”