The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [534]
“Sāriputta, didn’t the bhikkhu Channa declare to you his blamelessness?”1312
“Venerable sir, there is a Vajjian village called Pubbajira. There the venerable Channa had friendly families, intimate families, approachable families [as his supporters].”1313
“Indeed, Sāriputta, the bhikkhu Channa had friendly families, intimate families, approachable families [as his supporters]; but I do not say that to this extent he was blameworthy. Sāriputta, when one lays down this body and takes up a new body, then I say one is blameworthy. This did not happen in the case of the bhikkhu Channa; the bhikkhu Channa used the knife blamelessly.”1314
That is what the Blessed One said. The venerable Sāriputta was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
Puṇṇovāda Sutta
Advice to Puṇṇa
[267] 1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then, when it was evening, the venerable Puṇṇa rose from meditation and went to the Blessed One.1315 After paying homage to the Blessed One, he sat down at one side and said to him:
2. “Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would give me brief advice. Having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I will abide alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute.”
“Well then, Puṇṇa, listen and attend carefully to what I shall say.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” the venerable Puṇṇa replied. The Blessed One said this:
3. “Puṇṇa, there are forms cognizable by the eye that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and likeable, connected with sensual desire and provocative of lust. If a bhikkhu delights in them, welcomes them, and remains holding to them, delight arises in him. With the arising of delight, Puṇṇa, there is the arising of suffering, I say.1316 There are, Puṇṇa, sounds cognizable by the ear…odours cognizable by the nose…flavours cognizable by the tongue...tangibles cognizable by the body…mind-objects cognizable by the mind that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and likeable, connected with sensual desire [268] and provocative of lust. If a bhikkhu delights in them, welcomes them, and remains holding to them, delight arises in him. With the arising of delight, Puṇṇa, there is the arising of suffering, I say.
4. “Puṇṇa, there are forms cognizable by the eye...sounds cognizable by the ear…odours cognizable by the nose…flavours cognizable by the tongue…tangibles cognizable by the body… mind-objects cognizable by the mind that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and likeable, connected with sensual desire and provocative of lust. If a bhikkhu does not delight in them, welcome them, and remain holding to them, delight ceases in him. With the cessation of delight, Puṇṇa, there is the cessation of suffering, I say.
5. “Now that I have given you this brief advice, Puṇṇa, in which country will you dwell?”
“Venerable sir, now that the Blessed One has given me this brief advice, I am going to dwell in the Sunāparanta country.”
“Puṇṇa, the people of Sunāparanta are fierce and rough. If they abuse and threaten you, what will you think then?”
“Venerable sir, if the people of Sun̄paranta abuse and threaten me, then I shall think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are excellent, truly excellent, in that they did not give me a blow with the fist.’ Then I shall think thus, Blessed One; then I shall think thus, Sublime One.”
“But, Puṇṇa, if the people of Sunāparanta do give you a blow with the fist, what will you think then?”
“Venerable sir, if the people of Sunāparanta do give me a blow with the fist, then I shall think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are excellent, truly excellent, in that they did not give me a blow with a clod.’ Then I shall think thus, Blessed One; then I shall think thus, Sublime One.”
“But, Puṇṇa, if the people of Sunāparanta do give you a blow with a clod, what will you think then?”