SA 1266（一二六六） 阐陀

Thus have I heard:

Once, the Buddha was staying at the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove in Rājagṛha. At that time, Venerable Chanda was staying in the mango grove of the good-clothed in the village of Nālaka, suffering from a serious illness.

At that time, Venerable Śāriputra heard that Venerable Chanda was suffering from a serious illness in the mango grove of the good-clothed in the village of Nālaka. Having heard this, he said to Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila, "Venerable one, do you know that the monk Chanda is suffering from a serious illness in the mango grove of the good-clothed in the village of Nālaka? We should go together to see him." Mahākauṣṭhila silently agreed.

At that time, Venerable Śāriputra and Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila went together to the mango grove of the good-clothed in the village of Nālaka, to the dwelling of Venerable Chanda.

Venerable Chanda saw from afar Venerable Śāriputra and Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila, and tried to get up from his bed.

Venerable Śāriputra said to Venerable Chanda, "You need not get up!"

Venerable Śāriputra and Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila sat on different beds and asked Venerable Chanda, "How is it, Venerable Chanda? Is your illness bearable? Is it getting better or worse?..." As in the previous sūtra, it is explained in detail.

Venerable Chanda said, "My physical illness is extremely painful and difficult to bear. The illness that has arisen only increases and does not diminish. I only wish to take a knife and kill myself. I do not enjoy living in pain."

Venerable Śāriputra said, "Venerable Chanda! You should make an effort and not harm yourself! If you are in the world, I will come and go with you. If you lack anything, I will provide you with proper medicine. If you have no one to care for you, I will care for you, making sure you are comfortable, not uncomfortable."

Chanda replied, "I have offerings. The brahmins and elders of the village of Nālaka all see to my needs. I lack nothing in clothing, food, bedding, or medicine. I have disciples who practice pure conduct and attend to me as I wish, not unpleasantly. But my illness is painful and oppresses my body, difficult to bear. I only wish to kill myself, not to live in pain."

Śāriputra said, "I now ask you, answer me as you wish. Chanda! The eye, eye consciousness, and the forms cognized by the eye, are they me, different from me, or in a relationship with me?"

Chanda replied, "No."

Venerable Śāriputra further asked, "Chanda! The ear, nose, tongue, body, mind, mental consciousness, and the dharmas cognized by mental consciousness, are they me, different from me, or in a relationship with me?"

Chanda replied, "No."

Venerable Śāriputra further asked, "Chanda! Regarding the eye, eye consciousness, and form, what do you see, cognize, and know, that you say the eye, eye consciousness, and form are not me, not different from me, and not in a relationship with me?"

Chanda replied, "I see the cessation and know the cessation of the eye, eye consciousness, and form, and therefore see the eye, eye consciousness, and form as not me, not different from me, and not in a relationship with me."

He further asked, "Chanda! Regarding the ear, nose, tongue, body, mind, mental consciousness, and dharmas, what do you see and know, that you see the mind, mental consciousness, and dharmas as not me, not different from me, and not in a relationship with me?"

Chanda replied, "Venerable Sariputra! I see the cessation and know the cessation of the mind, mental consciousness, and dharmas, and therefore see the mind, mental consciousness, and dharmas as not me, not different from me, and not in a relationship with me. Venerable Sariputra! However, I am suffering from a physical illness today and cannot bear the pain. I wish to kill myself with a knife, as I do not enjoy suffering in life."

At that time, Venerable Maha-Kausthila said to Venerable Chanda, "You should now cultivate right mindfulness in the Great Teacher, as it is said: 'Those who rely on something are shaken; those who are shaken have a destination; those who have a destination do not rest; those who do not rest follow the course of coming and going; those who follow the course of coming and going have future birth and death; because of future birth and death, there is future emergence and submergence; because of future emergence and submergence, there is birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress. Thus, the great mass of suffering arises.' As it is said: 'Those who do not rely on anything are unshaken; those who are unshaken have no destination; those who have no destination rest; because of resting, they do not follow the course of coming and going; those who do not follow the course of coming and going have no future emergence and submergence; those who have no future emergence and submergence have no birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress. Thus, the great mass of suffering ceases.'"

Chanda said, "Venerable Maha-Kausthila! The service to the World-Honored One is now complete! The following of the Well-Gone One is now complete! It is pleasing, not displeasing. The disciples' duties are now done. If there are other disciples who serve their teachers, they should also serve the Great Teacher like this, pleasing, not displeasing. However, I am suffering from a physical illness today and cannot bear the pain. I only wish to kill myself with a knife, as I do not enjoy suffering in life." At that time, Venerable Chanda then killed himself with a knife in the good clothing mango grove in the village of Naraka.

At that time, Venerable Sariputra, having made offerings to Venerable Chanda's relics, went to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, stood to one side, and said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! Venerable Chanda killed himself with a knife in the good clothing mango grove in the village of Naraka. How is it, World-Honored One? Where will that Venerable Chanda go? How will he be reborn? What will be his future state?"

The Buddha told Venerable Sariputra, "He did not say to himself, 'Venerable Maha-Kausthila! My service to the World-Honored One is now complete! My following of the Well-Gone One is now complete! It is pleasing, not displeasing. If there are others who serve the Great Teacher, they should do it like this, pleasing, not displeasing.'"

At that time, Venerable Sariputra asked again, "World-Honored One! That Venerable Chanda previously had a family that made offerings, a very close family, and a family that spoke well in the village of Zhenzheni Brahmins.

The Buddha told Sariputra, "So it is, Sariputra! For a good man with right knowledge and right liberation, there are families that make offerings, families that are close, and families that speak well. Sariputra! I do not say that they have great faults. If one abandons this body and there is a continuation of other bodies, I say that they have great faults; if one abandons this body and there is no continuation of other bodies, I do not say that they have great faults. Because they have no great faults, they killed themselves with a knife in the good clothing mango grove in the village of Naras."

Thus, the World-Honored One gave the first prediction to that Venerable Chanda.

Having spoken this sūtra, the World-Honored One, Venerable Śāriputra, and the great assembly all rejoiced and praised it.