Chappānaka Sutta: Discourse on the Simile of Six Animals
By Dr. Ari Ubeysekara
Introduction
All of the discourses delivered by the Lord Gautama Buddha, who lived and preached in India during the 6th and 5th century BC, were grouped into five collections at the first Buddhist council that was held three months after the passing away of the Buddha in 483 BC.
- Collection of long discourses (dīgha nikāya)
- Collection of middle length discourses (majjhima nikāya)
- Collection of connected discourses (samyutta nikāya)
- Collection of numerical discourses (anguttara nikāya)
- Collection of minor discourses (khuddaka nikāya)
The collection of the connected discourses (samyutta nikāya), consist of the Buddha’s discourses on related topics grouped into five sections called Vaggas. They are named Sagātā Vagga, Nidhāna Vagga, Khanda Vagga, Salāyatana Vagga and Mahā Vagga. Each Vagga is further sub-divided into groups called samyuttas, containing a number of discourses on related topics. Each samyutta is again sub-divided into smaller units called vaggas, each containing around ten discourses. Chappānaka sutta is included in the Āsivisa vagga, of the Salāyatana samyutta of the Salāyatana Vagga (1).
In several of the discourses, the Buddha and the Buddha’s main disciples have used similes and parables to explain deep and difficult to understand aspects of the Buddha’s teaching. It was because some disciples may find it easier to understand them through similes and parables than when they were stated directly. In the Chappānaka sutta, the Buddha has used the simile of six animals tied with a strong rope to illustrate the response to the sensory objects received through the six internal sense doors by those who have not and who have established mindfulness of the body.
Content of Chappānaka sutta
“Monks, suppose a man, wounded and festering, were to enter a thorny forest. It’s sharp bladed grass will prick his feet; it’s thorns will cut his body. Thus, he will experience even greater physical and mental pain.”
“In the same way, monks, a certain monk who has gone to a village or to a forest, meets someone who reproaches him: This venerable one, acting this way, behaving this way, is an impure thorn in this village. Having known what a thorn is, one should know restraint and lack of restraint.”
“And what, monks, is lack of restraint? Here, monks, a monk, having seen a form with the eye, is attracted to a pleasant form, and is repelled by an unpleasant form. He remains having not established mindfulness of the body, with a limited awareness. He does not understand as it really is, liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, wherein unwholesome mental qualities cease without any remainder.”
“Having heard a sound with the ear, he is attracted to a pleasant sound, and is repelled by an unpleasant sound. He remains having not established mindfulness of the body, with a limited awareness. He does not understand as it really is, liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, wherein unwholesome mental qualities cease without any remainder.”
“Having smelt a smell with the nose, he is attracted to a pleasant smell, and is repelled by an unpleasant smell. He remains having not established mindfulness of the body, with a limited awareness. He does not understand as it really is, liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, wherein unwholesome mental qualities cease without any remainder.”
“Having tasted a taste with the tongue, he is attracted to a pleasant taste, and is repelled by an unpleasant taste. He remains having not established mindfulness of the body, with a limited awareness. He does not understand as it really is, liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, wherein unwholesome mental qualities cease without any remainder.”
“Having felt a touch with the body, he is attracted to a pleasant touch, and is repelled by an unpleasant touch. He remains having not established mindfulness of the body, with a limited awareness. He does not understand as it really is, liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, wherein unwholesome mental qualities cease without any remainder.”
“Having cognised a mind object with the mind, he is attracted to a pleasant mind object, and is repelled by an unpleasant mind object. He remains having not established mindfulness of the body, with a limited awareness. He does not understand as it really is, liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, wherein unwholesome mental qualities cease without any remainder.”
[Restraint of the senses (indriya samvara sīla) is one of the four ethical precepts (catupārisuddhi sīla), advised by the Buddha to be practised by the monks, the other three precepts being; restraint with regard to the monks’ disciplinary code, purification of livelihood and proper use of the four basic requisites. When one practises sense restraint, one does not pay attention to the general appearance or the details of a sense object received through one of the six sense organs, so that it will not lead to the arising of either desire or aversion.
In the Ganaka-Moggallāna sutta of the Majjhima Nikāya (collection of the Buddha’s middle length discourses), the Buddha has given the following advice with regard to sense control in relation to the eye, which is repeated for the other five sense bases.
“Come monk, guard your senses. On seeing an object with the eye, do not reflect on its features or anything associated with it. If you leave your senses unguarded, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and grief might invade you. So, practise restraint, guard the eye faculty. Undertake the restraint of the eye faculty.”] (2)
“Suppose, monks, a man catches six animals, each with a different range and a different pasture, and ties each of them with a strong rope. He will catch a snake and tie it with a strong rope. He will catch a crocodile and tie it with a strong rope. He will catch a bird and tie it with a strong rope. He will catch a dog and tie it with a strong rope. He will catch a jackal and tie it with a strong rope. He will catch a monkey and tie it with a strong rope. Then, he will bind all of them together with a knot in the middle and leave them like that.”
“Then, monks, those six animals, each with a different range and a different pasture, will each pull away in the direction of it’s own range, it’s own pasture. The snake will pull thinking, I will go into the anthill. The crocodile will pull away thinking, I will go into the water. The bird will pull away thinking, I will fly up into the sky. The dog will pull away thinking, I will go into the village. The jackal will pull away thinking, I will go into the charnel ground. The monkey will pull away thinking, I will go into the forest. Now, monks, when those six animals become worn out and tired, they will submit and come under the control of the strongest of them.”
[According to the Buddhist commentaries, the six internal sense doors are represented by the simile of the six animals as follows: Snake = eye, crocodile = ear, bird = nose, dog = tongue, jackal = body and monkey = mind. The strong rope that is used to tie the six animals represents craving (tanhā) while the knot in the middle represents ignorance (avijjā).]
“In the same way, monks, when a monk has not developed and pursued mindfulness of the body, the eye is attracted to pleasant forms while unpleasant forms are repelled; the ear is attracted to pleasant sounds while unpleasant sounds are repelled; the nose is attracted to pleasant smells while unpleasant smells are repelled; the tongue is attracted to pleasant tastes while unpleasant tastes are repelled; the body is attracted to pleasant touches while unpleasant touches are repelled; the mind is attracted to pleasant mind objects while unpleasant mind objects are repelled. This, monks, is lack of restraint.”
[In the Kāyagatā sati sutta of the Majjhima Nikāya and in the Mahā Satipatthāna sutta of the Dīgha Nikāya (collection of the Buddha’s long discourses), the Buddha has described the following techniques to develop mindfulness of the body:
- Mindfulness of breathing (ānāpānasati)
- Mindfulness of the four body postures (iriyāpatha)
- Clear comprehension (sampajañña)
- Mindfulness of repulsiveness of the body (patikūlamanasikāra)
- Mindfulness of the four material elements (dhāthumanasikāra)
- Nine cemetery contemplations (navasīvathika) (3) & (4)
One who has not practised or cultivated mindfulness of the body has no restraint over the six sense doors. As a result there is attraction towards the pleasant sense objects received through the six sense doors while the unpleasant sense objected are repelled, leading to accumulation of mental defilements.]
“And what, monks, is restraint? Here, monks, a monk, having seen a form with the eye, he is not attracted to a pleasant form, and is not repelled by an unpleasant form. He remains with established mindfulness of the body, with immeasurable awareness. He understands as it really is, liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, wherein unwholesome mental qualities cease without any remainder.”
“Having heard a sound with the ear, he is not attracted to a pleasant sound, and is not repelled by an unpleasant sound. He remains with established mindfulness of the body, with immeasurable awareness. He understands as it really is, liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, wherein unwholesome mental qualities cease without any remainder.”
“Having smelt a smell with the nose, he is not attracted to a pleasant smell, and is not repelled by an unpleasant smell. He remains with established mindfulness of the body, with immeasurable awareness. He understands as it really is, liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, wherein unwholesome mental qualities cease without any remainder.”
“Having tasted a taste with the tongue, he is not attracted to a pleasant taste, and is not repelled by an unpleasant taste. He remains with established mindfulness of the body, with immeasurable awareness. He understands as it really is, liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, wherein unwholesome mental qualities cease without any remainder.”
“Having felt a touch with the body, he is not attracted to a pleasant touch, and is not repelled by an unpleasant touch. He remains with established mindfulness of the body, with immeasurable awareness. He understands as it really is, liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, wherein unwholesome mental qualities cease without any remainder.”
“Having cognised a mental object with the mind, he is not attracted to a pleasant mind object, and is not repelled by an unpleasant mind object. He remains with established mindfulness of the body, with immeasurable awareness. He understands as it really is, liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, wherein unwholesome mental qualities cease without any remainder.”
[When one has restraint of the sense doors through the cultivation of mindfulness of the body, there is neither attraction towards the pleasant sense objects nor repulsion towards the unpleasant sense objects received through the six sense doors. As a result, there is cessation of mental defilements and development of wisdom into the reality of physical and mental phenomena leading to liberation of the mind (Ceto vimutti) and liberation by wisdom (Paññā vimutti).]
“Suppose, monks, a man catches six animals, each with a different range and a different pasture, and ties each of them with a strong rope. He will catch a snake and tie it with a strong rope. He will catch a crocodile and tie it with a strong rope. He will catch a bird and tie it with a strong rope. He will catch a dog and tie it with a strong rope. He will catch a jackal and tie it with a strong rope. He will catch a monkey and tie it with a strong rope. Then, having bound all of them with a strong rope, he will tie them to a strong pillar or post.”
“Then, monks, those six animals, each with a different range and a different pasture, will each pull away in the direction of it’s own range, it’s own pasture. The snake will pull thinking, I will go into the anthill. The crocodile will pull away thinking, I will go into the water. The bird will pull away thinking, I will fly up into the sky. The dog will pull away thinking, I will go into the village. The jackal will pull away thinking, I will go into the charnel ground. The Monkey will pull away, thinking, I will go into the forest. Now, monks, when those six animals become worn out and tired, they will stand, sit or lie down close to the pillar or post.”
“In the same way, monks, when a monk has developed and pursued mindfulness of the body, the eye is not attracted to pleasant forms while unpleasant forms are not repelled, the ear is not attracted to pleasant sounds while unpleasant sounds are not repelled; the nose is not attracted to pleasant smells while unpleasant smells are not repelled; the tongue is not attracted to pleasant tastes while unpleasant tastes are not repelled; the body is not attracted to pleasant touches while unpleasant touches are not repelled; the mind is not attracted to pleasant mind objects while unpleasant mind objects are not repelled. This, monks, is restraint.”
“Monks, a strong pillar or post is a designation for mindfulness of the body. Monks, you should train yourselves thus: We will develop and pursue mindfulness of the body, use it as a vehicle and as a basis. We will give it a good grounding, steady it, consolidate it and establish it. That is how, you should train yourselves.”
In the Chappānaka sutta, the Buddha has used the simile of six animals to represent the six internal sense doors and the response to the sense objects received through them dependent on whether one has developed mindfulness of the body (Kāyagatā sati) or not. When one has not cultivated mindfulness of the body, there is no restraint of the sense doors and as a result one is attracted to pleasant sense objects, while repelling the unpleasant sense objects. With the cultivation of mindfulness of the body, there is sense restraint and as a result there is neither attraction towards the pleasant sense objects nor repulsion towards the unpleasant sense objects. The Buddha has described how development of mindfulness of the body results in sense restraint leading to cessation of mental defilements and liberation of the mind (Ceto vimutti) and liberation by wisdom (Paññā vimutti).
References
- Bhikkhu Bodhi 1999, Chappānaka sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikāya, Wisdom Publications.
- Bhikkhu Nānamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi 1995, Ganaka-Moggallāna Sutta, The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, Wisdom Publications.
- Bhikkhu Nānamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi 1995, Kāyagatā sati Sutta, The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, Wisdom Publications.
- Walshe, Maurice (1987), ‘Mahāsatipatthāna sutta’ in “Thus Have I Heard”, The LongDiscourses of the Buddha, Dīgha Nikāya, Wisdom Publications, London.
End.
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