English
Eye-contact is empty of self or what belongs to self. … And whatever feeling arises dependent on mind-contact— whether pleasant or painful or neither-pleasant-nor-painful— that too is empty of self or what belongs to self. Because, Ananda, it is empty of self or what belongs to self, therefore it is said that the world is empty." The Second. 3. The Discourse on the Condensed Teaching 86. Seated to one side, the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One: "It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, secluded, diligent, ardent, and resolute." "What do you think, Ananda, is the eye permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, is it fit to regard that as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, venerable sir." "Are forms permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." … "Eye-consciousness… And whatever feeling arises dependent on eye-contact— whether pleasant or painful or neither-pleasant-nor-painful— is that too permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, is it fit to regard that as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" This is mine, this I am, this is my self? No, venerable sir. Is the tongue permanent or impermanent? Impermanent, venerable sir. Tongue-consciousness… tongue-contact… whatever feeling arises dependent on mind-contact—whether pleasant or painful or neither-pleasant-nor-painful—is that permanent or impermanent? Impermanent, venerable sir. But what is impermanent, is it painful or pleasant? Painful, venerable sir. But what is impermanent, painful, subject to change, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’? No, venerable sir. Seeing thus, Ānanda, the instructed noble disciple becomes disenchanted with the eye… becomes disenchanted with eye-contact… becomes disenchanted with whatever feeling arises dependent on mind-contact—whether pleasant or painful or neither-pleasant-nor-painful. Being disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is liberated. When liberated, there is the knowledge: ‘Liberated.’ He understands: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’ The Third. 4. The Discourse to Channa At one time the Blessed One was staying at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, at the Squirrels’ Feeding Place. At that time the Venerable Sāriputta, the Venerable Mahācunda, and the Venerable Channa were staying on Vulture Peak Mountain. At that time the Venerable Channa was afflicted, suffering, gravely ill. Then, in the evening, the Venerable Sāriputta rose from his seclusion and went to the Venerable Mahācunda; having approached, he said to the Venerable Mahācunda: “Come, friend Cunda, let us go to the Venerable Channa to inquire about his illness.” “Yes, friend,” the Venerable Mahācunda replied to the Venerable Sāriputta. Then the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahācunda went to the Venerable Channa; having approached, they sat down on the seats prepared. Having sat down, the Venerable Sāriputta Sāriputta said to Venerable Channa: "Are you, friend Channa, bearable? Are you getting by? Are your painful feelings receding, not advancing? Is their recession apparent, not their advance?" "For me, friend Sāriputta, it is not bearable, I am not getting by. My strong painful feelings are advancing, not receding. Their advance is apparent, not their recession. Just as, friend, a strong man might strike his head with a sharp sword; even so, friend, excessive winds are striking my head. For me, friend, it is not bearable, I am not getting by. My strong painful feelings are advancing, not receding. Their advance is apparent, not their recession. Just as, friend, a strong man might bind his head with a strong leather strap; even so, friend, are these excessive head pains. For me, friend, it is not bearable, I am not getting by. My strong painful feelings are advancing, not receding. Their advance is apparent, not their recession. Just as, friend, a skilled butcher or a butcher's apprentice might carve up an ox's belly with a sharp butcher's knife; even so, friend, excessive winds are carving up my belly. For me, friend, it is not bearable, I am not getting by. My strong painful feelings are advancing, not receding. Their advance is apparent, not their recession. Just as, friend, two strong men might seize a weaker man by both arms and roast him, scorch him, over a pit of glowing coals; even so, friend, is this excessive burning in my body. For me, friend, it is not bearable, I am not getting by. My strong painful feelings are advancing, not receding. Their advance is apparent, not their recession. I shall take the knife, friend Sāriputta, I do not wish to live." "Venerable Channa, do not take the knife. Venerable Channa, get by. We wish Venerable Channa to get by. If Venerable Channa has no suitable food... If Venerable Channa has no suitable food, I will seek suitable food for Venerable Channa. If Venerable Channa has no suitable medicines, I will seek suitable medicines for Venerable Channa. If Venerable Channa has no proper attendants, I will attend to Venerable Channa. May Venerable Channa not take the knife. May Venerable Channa live, we wish Venerable Channa to live.” “Friends Sāriputta, I do not lack suitable food; I have suitable food. Nor do I lack suitable medicines; I have suitable medicines. Nor do I lack proper attendants; I have proper attendants. But, friend, the Teacher has been served by me for a long time with what is pleasing, not with what is displeasing. Indeed, friend, this is proper for a disciple, that he should serve the Teacher with what is pleasing, not with what is displeasing. ‘The monk Channa will take the knife blamelessly’— thus, friend Sāriputta, remember this.” “We would question Venerable Channa on a certain point, if Venerable Channa grants us the opportunity to answer the question.” “Ask, friend Sāriputta, having heard, I will know.” “Do you, friend Channa, regard the eye, eye-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by eye-consciousness as ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’… Do you, friend Channa, regard the tongue, tongue-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by tongue-consciousness as ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’… Do you, friend Channa, regard the mind, mind-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by mind-consciousness as ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?” “Friend Sāriputta, I regard the eye, eye-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by eye-consciousness as ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’… Friend Sāriputta, I regard the tongue, I observe consciousness, in the phenomena cognizable by tongue-consciousness, as 'This is not mine, I am not this, This is not my self.' ... Friend Sāriputta, I observe mind, mind-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by mind-consciousness, as 'This is not mine, I am not this, This is not my self.' "Friend Channa, in the eye, in eye-consciousness, in phenomena cognizable by eye-consciousness, having seen what, having understood what, do you observe the eye, eye-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by eye-consciousness, as 'This is not mine, I am not this, This is not my self?' Friend Channa, in the tongue, in tongue-consciousness, in phenomena cognizable by tongue-consciousness, having seen what, having understood what, do you observe the tongue, tongue-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by tongue-consciousness, as 'This is not mine, I am not this, This is not my self?' Friend Channa, in the mind, in mind-consciousness, in phenomena cognizable by mind-consciousness, having seen what, having understood what, do you observe the mind, mind-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by mind-consciousness, as 'This is not mine, I am not this, This is not my self?'" "Friend Sāriputta, in the eye, in eye-consciousness, in phenomena cognizable by eye-consciousness, having seen cessation, having understood cessation, I observe the eye, eye-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by eye-consciousness, as 'This is not mine, I am not this, This is not my self.' ... Friend Sāriputta, in the tongue, in tongue-consciousness, in phenomena cognizable by tongue-consciousness, having seen cessation, having understood cessation, I observe the tongue, tongue-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by tongue-consciousness, as 'This is not mine, I am not this, This is not my self.' ... Friend Sāriputta, in the mind, in mind-consciousness, in phenomena cognizable by mind-consciousness, having seen cessation, having understood cessation, I observe the mind, mind-consciousness, and phenomena cognizable by mind-consciousness, as 'This is not mine, I am not this, This is not my self.'" When this was said, Venerable Mahācunda said to Venerable Channa: "Therefore, friend Channa, this too..." The teaching of that Blessed One should always be well considered: ‘For one who clings, there is agitation; for one who does not cling, there is no agitation. When there is no agitation, there is tranquility. When there is tranquility, there is no inclination. When there is no inclination, there is no coming and going. When there is no coming and going, there is no passing away and reappearing. When there is no passing away and reappearing, there is neither here nor beyond nor in between the two. This is the end of suffering.’ Then Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Mahācunda, having advised Venerable Channa with this admonition, rose from their seats and departed.