Chanda's Doubts

Lin Chong'an

(Inner Vision Magazine, Issue 61, 2008)

I. Preface

When Prince Siddhartha left the palace and went forth into the homeless life in ancient India, a single charioteer drove him out into the dead of night. That charioteer was Channa, also called Chanda. Six years later, Prince Siddhartha attained full Buddhahood and became known as Śākyamuni Buddha. More than six years after that, Chanda too followed the Buddha and went forth. But Chanda did not get along with the other bhikkhus. He believed he had been at the Buddha's side from the very start, and that his bond with him ran deeper than anyone else's. This fed an arrogance he could not shake, even after the Buddha corrected him several times. Because his attachment to self was so strong, he could not realize the truth. After the Buddha's final passing, with no one left to lean on, his arrogance began to fade. At that time many senior bhikkhus were staying at the Deer Park in the Sage's Dwelling near Vārāṇasī. Eager to understand the truth, Chanda went to seek their guidance.

II. Chanda's Confusion

One morning the elder Chanda put on his robe, took up his bowl, and went into Vārāṇasī for alms. After eating, he returned, put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, and—taking a door-latch in hand—walked from grove to grove, from dwelling to dwelling, from walking path to walking path in search of the senior bhikkhus.

Wherever he found them, he asked: "Please teach me. Please expound the Dharma for me, so that I may know the Dharma and see the Dharma. I shall know it as the Dharma directs and contemplate it as the Dharma directs."

The bhikkhus told him: "Form is impermanent. Feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are also impermanent. All conditioned phenomena are impermanent; all phenomena are without self; nirvana is peaceful."

Chanda repeated back: "Form is impermanent. Feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are also impermanent. All conditioned phenomena are impermanent; all phenomena are without self; nirvana is peaceful."

Then he added: "But I don't delight in hearing that all conditioned phenomena are empty, tranquil, unattainable; that love is exhausted, desire abandoned, cessation attained, and nirvana realized. Within all this, how can there be a 'self' that one is said to know and see? How is that called seeing the Dharma?"

Again and again—from one grove to another, from one dwelling to another, from one walking path to another—he received the same teaching, and again and again his doubts remained. "Among the bhikkhus," he asked, "is there still anyone with the ability to expound the Dharma for me, so that I may know the Dharma and see the Dharma?"

Then he thought of Venerable Ānanda: "Venerable Ānanda is now residing at the Ghosita Grove in the country of Kosambī. He served and drew near to the World-Honored One. The Buddha praised him, and everyone who practices the holy life knows him. Surely he can expound the Dharma for me, so that I may know the Dharma and see the Dharma."

III. Ānanda Clears the Doubt

The next morning, Chanda put on his robe, took up his bowl, and went into Vārāṇasī for alms. After eating, he returned, packed up his bedding, and—bedding in hand—put on his robe, took up his bowl, and set out for Kosambī. He traveled gradually, eventually reaching the Ghosita Grove. He put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, and went to Venerable Ānanda's dwelling. They exchanged greetings, and Chanda sat down to one side. He then recounted to Ānanda his earlier exchanges with the bhikkhus, ending with: "Excellent, Venerable Ānanda! Now please expound the Dharma for me, so that I may know the Dharma and see the Dharma."

Ānanda replied: "Excellent, Chanda! I am truly delighted. I commend you for laying yourself open before practitioners of the holy life and breaking through the thorn of falsehood without concealment. Chanda, what the foolish ordinary person cannot understand is this: form is impermanent; feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are impermanent; all conditioned phenomena are impermanent; all phenomena are without self; nirvana is peaceful. You are now ready to receive the supreme and wonderful Dharma. Listen carefully, and I shall explain it for you."

Chanda reflected: "I am delighted today. I have gained a supreme and wonderful mind; I have gained an uplifted and joyful mind. I am ready to receive the supreme and wonderful Dharma."

Then Ānanda told him: "I myself heard the Buddha teach Mahākaccāna as follows: 'Worldlings are confused and cling to two extremes—existence or non-existence. They grasp at various objects, and the mind builds up clinging around them. Kaccāna, if one does not take up, does not grasp, does not abide in, does not cling to a notion of "self," then when suffering arises one knows it has arisen; when suffering ceases one knows it has ceased. Kaccāna, to harbor no doubt and no confusion about this, and to know it for oneself without relying on another—that is called right view, as taught by the Thus Come One. Why?

'Kaccāna, when one rightly contemplates the arising of the world as it truly is, the view that the world is nonexistent does not arise. When one rightly contemplates the cessation of the world as it truly is, the view that the world is existent does not arise. Kaccāna, the Thus Come One stands free of both extremes and proclaims the Middle Way: when this exists, that exists; when this arises, that arises—meaning that dependent on ignorance, formations come to be, leading all the way to the arising of birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. And: when this does not exist, that does not exist; when this ceases, that ceases—meaning that with the cessation of ignorance, formations cease, leading all the way to the cessation of birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair.'"

IV. Chanda's Awakening

As Ānanda was expounding the Dharma, the dust fell away and the stains were cleansed, and bhikkhu Chanda gained the pure eye of the Dharma. In that moment he saw the Dharma, obtained the Dharma, knew the Dharma, rose up in the Dharma, transcended confusion and doubt, proclaimed the truth without depending on another, and answered without fear concerning the liberation realized through the Master's teaching.

Reverently joining his palms, he said to Ānanda: "It is exactly so. Such is the wisdom of the holy life—the true Dharma taught and instructed by a good friend. Today, from Venerable Ānanda, I have heard this Dharma. All conditioned phenomena are empty, tranquil, unattainable; love is exhausted, desire abandoned, cessation attained, nirvana realized. My mind is at peace and rests in liberation. I no longer fall back; I no longer see body and mind as 'myself.' I see only the true Dharma."

Ānanda told him: "You have gained a great benefit today. In the exceedingly profound Dharma of the Buddha, you have attained the holy eye of wisdom."

The two dharma-friends then rejoiced at each other's words, rose from their seats, and returned to their own dwellings.

The sutta introduced above is Sutta No. 262 of the Saṃyuktāgama, also known as the Chanda Sutta.

V. Some Explorations

(1) "All conditioned phenomena are impermanent; all phenomena are without self; nirvana is peaceful"—these are the so-called Three Dharma Seals, where "all conditioned phenomena" refers to the five aggregates of body and mind. At first Chanda agreed with the Three Dharma Seals, but his agreement was only conceptual. He found it hard to accept that "all conditioned phenomena are empty and tranquil," because he clung to the view that conditioned phenomena—the five aggregates—constituted a "self." He knew that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, but if at final nirvana those aggregates are empty and tranquil, wouldn't the "self" simply vanish? In other words, Chanda harbored an identity view (sakkāya-diṭṭhi) that took the five aggregates of body and mind to be a "self." He feared the state of "all conditioned phenomena being empty and tranquil," and so could not know and see the Dharma.

(2) Kaccāna was one of the Buddha's ten chief disciples, renowned as "foremost among expounders of the Dharma." Ānanda chose to cite the Buddha's own teaching to Kaccāna, which carried greater weight and made it easier for Chanda to receive it with an open heart.

(3) Because Chanda arrived in Ānanda's presence with a supreme and wonderful mind and an uplifted and joyful mind, he was in a state of bodily and mental ease. Once Ānanda laid out the right view of the Middle Way clearly, Chanda immediately realized the holy stage of stream-entry.

(4) Three conditions give rise to a supreme and wonderful mind: 1) the guide is praised by the community and possesses genuine ability; 2) the Dharma the guide teaches can genuinely lead one out of afflictions and clarify the supreme and profound meaning; 3) the listener has the capacity to awaken to what is being taught. Because Ānanda and Chanda fulfilled all three conditions together, Chanda was able to realize the fruit the moment he heard the teaching.

(5) "When one rightly contemplates the arising of the world as it truly is, the view that the world is nonexistent does not arise; when one rightly contemplates the cessation of the world as it truly is, the view that the world is existent does not arise." Because of ignorance and craving, the world arises; extinguish ignorance and craving, and the world ceases. One must rightly contemplate the arising of the world as it truly is, recognizing that as long as ignorance and craving remain, the cycle of birth and death is unavoidable—hence the view that the world is nonexistent does not arise. One must also rightly contemplate the cessation of the world as it truly is, recognizing that once ignorance and craving are extinguished, the cycle of birth and death of the five aggregates comes to rest—hence the view that the world is existent does not arise.

(6) "The Thus Come One stands free of the two extremes and proclaims the Middle Way: when this exists, that exists; when this arises, that arises; and: when this does not exist, that does not exist; when this ceases, that ceases." "Existence" (the extreme of permanence) is one side; "non-existence" (the extreme of annihilation) is the other. The Buddha's teaching is to leave both extremes behind and stand in the Middle Way—a way grounded in the conditioned phenomena of body and mind. Sentient beings' birth, aging, sickness, and death, their sorrow, lamentation, and suffering, arise because they cannot rightly contemplate the arising of the world as it truly is; they do not see that these things come from ignorance and craving. Ignorance itself is the mistaken grasping of one's own bodily and mental phenomena as a "self." In the forward process of cyclic existence, because of ignorance there are formations, then consciousness, then name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, existence, birth, aging, and death, together with sorrow, lamentation, grief, and suffering. This is "when this exists, that exists; when this arises, that arises." One must rightly contemplate this dependent arising as it truly is and not deny it outright—only then does one not fall into the extreme of non-existence. On the other hand, once one clearly sees the impermanence and selflessness of one's own bodily and mental phenomena and no longer gives rise to ignorance and craving, then in the reverse process of liberation: with the cessation of ignorance, formations cease; with the cessation of formations, consciousness ceases; and in turn name-and-form ceases, the six sense bases cease, contact ceases, feeling ceases, craving ceases, clinging ceases, existence ceases, birth ceases, and aging-and-death, together with sorrow, lamentation, grief, and suffering, cease. Thus one rightly contemplates the cessation of the world, and does not fall into the extreme of existence. By seeing the arising and cessation of the world as they truly are through both the forward and reverse processes of dependent origination, one leaves behind the extremes of non-existence and existence and abides in the Middle Way.

(7) Once the elder Chanda had grasped the heart of the Middle Way and no longer fell into either extreme, his eye of wisdom opened: the saṃyojana—the fetters that must be cut at the path of seeing—were all destroyed, which is what is meant by "dust-free"; and the anusaya—the latent tendencies that must be cut at the path of seeing—were all destroyed, which is what is meant by "stain-free."

(8) Together with the pure eye of wisdom, the elder Chanda also gained the following merits of stream-entry:

1. Seeing the Dharma: he had clearly seen the Four Noble Truths.
2. Obtaining the Dharma: he had obtained one of the fruits of the holy life.
3. Knowing the Dharma: regarding his own realization, he knew for himself: "I have now exhausted the hells, the animal realm, and the realm of hungry ghosts; I have realized stream-entry."
4. Rising Up in the Dharma: he had gained the fourfold confidence—in the Buddha, the Dharma, the Saṅgha, and the training.
5. No Confusion, **6. No Doubt: no confusion about his own realization; no doubt about the realization of others.
6. Not Relying on Another: when proclaiming teachings in accordance with the holy truths, he did not depend on another.
7. Untouched by Other Teachings: without looking to another's face or watching another's mouth, no other teaching could sway him within this true Dharma and Discipline.
8. Completely Fearless: he was fearless in declaring all the liberations he had realized.
9. Entering the Holy Teaching: through both the conventional and the ultimate, he entered the holy teaching and became a disciple of the Buddha in both senses.

VI. Conclusion

The Buddha's teaching of "non-self" runs exceedingly deep. To awaken to non-self, one needs a supreme and wonderful mind and an uplifted and joyful mind. Through Venerable Ānanda's skillful guidance, Chanda finally broke through his doubts and personally realized that profound non-self. This sutta offers much inspiration and is well worth careful reflection by Buddhist disciples.

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[The Chanda Sutta] (T262; N38; S.45; S.39; S90)

(01) Thus have I heard. Once, not long after the Buddha's final nirvana, a large number of senior bhikkhus were residing in the Deer Park at the Sage's Dwelling in [the country of Vārāṇasī].

(02) The elder Chanda, in the morning, put on his robe, took up his bowl, and entered [the city of Vārāṇasī] for alms. After eating he returned, put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, took a door-latch in hand, and went from grove to grove, from dwelling to dwelling, from walking path to walking path, requesting the bhikkhus everywhere: "Please teach me, please expound the Dharma for me, so that I may know the Dharma and see the Dharma. I shall know it as the Dharma directs and contemplate it as the Dharma directs."

(03) The bhikkhus told Chanda: "Form is impermanent. Feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are impermanent. All conditioned phenomena are impermanent; all phenomena are without self; nirvana is peaceful."

(04) Chanda said to the bhikkhus: "I already know that form is impermanent; feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are impermanent; all conditioned phenomena are impermanent; all phenomena are without self; nirvana is peaceful."

(05) Chanda further said: "Yet I do not delight in hearing that all conditioned phenomena are empty, tranquil, unattainable; that love is exhausted, desire abandoned, [cessation attained], and nirvana realized. How, within this, can there be a 'self' such that one says to know thus and see thus, and this is called seeing the Dharma?" The same was said a second and third time.

(06) Chanda further said: "Among them, is there still anyone with the ability to expound the Dharma for me, so that I may know the Dharma and see the Dharma?"

(07) He then had this thought: "Venerable Ānanda is now at the Ghosita Grove in the country of Kosambī. He served and drew near to the World-Honored One; the Buddha praised him; everyone who practices the holy life knows him. He must surely be capable of expounding the Dharma for me, so that I may know the Dharma and see the Dharma."

(08) The next morning, after that night had passed, Chanda put on his robe, took up his bowl, and entered [the city of Vārāṇasī] for alms. After eating he returned, gathered and set up his bedding. Having set up his bedding, taking his robe and bowl, he set out for the country of Kosambī. He traveled gradually, reaching the country of Kosambī. He put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, went to Venerable Ānanda's dwelling, exchanged greetings, and sat down to one side.

(09) Chanda said to Venerable Ānanda: "Once, a number of senior bhikkhus were residing in the Deer Park at the Sage's Dwelling in [the country of Vārāṇasī]. At that time, in the morning, I put on my robe, took up my bowl, and entered [the city of Vārāṇasī] for alms. After eating I returned, put away my robe and bowl. I washed my feet, took a door-latch in hand, and went from grove to grove, from dwelling to dwelling, from walking path to walking path, requesting the bhikkhus everywhere: Please teach me, please expound the Dharma for me, so that I may know the Dharma and see the Dharma!

(10) The bhikkhus expounded the Dharma for me, saying: Form is impermanent; feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are impermanent; all conditioned phenomena are impermanent; all phenomena are without self; nirvana is peaceful.

(11) At that time, I said to the bhikkhus: I already know that form is impermanent; feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are impermanent; all conditioned phenomena are impermanent; all phenomena are without self; nirvana is peaceful. Yet I do not delight in hearing that all conditioned phenomena are empty, tranquil, unattainable; that love is exhausted, desire abandoned, [cessation attained], and nirvana realized. How, within this, can there be a 'self' such that one says to know thus and see thus, and this is called seeing the Dharma?

(12) At that time, I had this thought: Among them, is there still anyone with the ability to expound the Dharma for me, so that I may know the Dharma and see the Dharma?

(13) I then had this thought again: Venerable Ānanda is now at the Ghosita Grove in the country of Kosambī. He served and drew near to the World-Honored One; the Buddha praised him; everyone who practices the holy life knows him. He must surely be capable of expounding the Dharma for me, so that I may know the Dharma and see the Dharma.

(14) Excellent, Venerable Ānanda! Now please expound the Dharma for me, so that I may know the Dharma and see the Dharma!"

(15) Venerable Ānanda told Chanda: "Excellent, Chanda! I am truly delighted in my mind. I commend you, friend, for being able, before practitioners of the holy life, to lay yourself open without concealment and break through the thorn of falsehood.

(16) Chanda, what the foolish ordinary person cannot understand is this: form is impermanent; feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are impermanent; all conditioned phenomena are impermanent; all phenomena are without self; nirvana is peaceful. You are now able to receive the supreme and wonderful Dharma. Listen carefully, and I shall explain it for you."

(17) Chanda reflected: I am delighted now; I have attained a supreme and wonderful mind; I have attained an uplifted and joyful mind. I am now able to receive the supreme and wonderful Dharma.

(18) Then Ānanda told Chanda: "I myself heard from the Buddha the teaching given to Mahākaccāna: Worldlings are confused and cling to two extremes—if it exists, or if it does not exist. Worldlings grasp at various objects, and the mind builds up clinging around them. Kaccāna, if one does not take up, does not grasp, does not abide in, does not cling to a notion of 'self,' then when suffering arises it is known to arise; when it ceases it is known to cease. Kaccāna, to harbor no doubt and no confusion about this, and to know it for oneself without relying on another—this is called right view, taught by the Thus Come One. Why is this so?

(19) Kaccāna, when one rightly contemplates the arising of the world as it truly is, the view that the world is nonexistent does not arise. When one rightly contemplates the cessation of the world as it truly is, the view that the world is existent does not arise.

(20) Kaccāna, the Thus Come One stands free of the two extremes and proclaims the Middle Way: when this exists, that exists; when this arises, that arises—meaning that dependent on ignorance, formations come to be, leading to the arising of birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; and: when this does not exist, that does not exist; when this ceases, that ceases—meaning that with the cessation of ignorance, formations cease, leading to the cessation of birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair."

(21) As Venerable Ānanda was expounding this Dharma, the bhikkhu Chanda, dust-free and stain-free, gained the pure eye of the Dharma. In that moment the bhikkhu Chanda saw the Dharma, obtained the Dharma, knew the Dharma, rose up in the Dharma, transcended confusion, [did] not [rely] on another, and stood fearless before the Master's teaching. Reverently joining his palms, he said to Venerable Ānanda: "It is exactly so. Such is the wisdom of the holy life—the true Dharma taught and instructed by a good friend. Today, from Venerable Ānanda, I have heard such Dharma. All conditioned phenomena are empty, completely tranquil, unattainable; love is exhausted, desire abandoned, cessation attained, and nirvana realized. My mind delights and rests rightly in liberation. I no longer fall back; I no longer see [body and mind as] myself; I see only the true Dharma."

(22) Ānanda told Chanda: "You have gained a great benefit today. In the exceedingly profound Dharma of the Buddha, you have attained [the holy eye of wisdom]."

(23) The two dharma-friends then rejoiced with one another in turn, rose from their seats, and each returned to his own dwelling.