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Samyutta Nikaya

# SN 22.89 Khemaka Sutta (With Khemaka) SN 22.89

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    [page 1]
    SN 22.89
    Salāyatanavagga Saṁyutta (Collection on the Six Sense Bases)
    Connected Discourses on the Aggregates
    Thera Vagga

    Khemaka Sutta
    “With Khemaka”
    Translated by Candana Bhikkhu

    Copyright © Candana Bhikkhu 2021

    At one time, a large number of elder Bhikkhus were living in Ghosita's Forest Monastery, in
    Kosambi.
    It was during that time that the Venerable Khemaka, while residing in the Jujubee monastery,
    was stricken with a severe illness, as he experienced much bodily pain and suffering.
    Then, when it was evening, by coming out from their seclusion, those elder Bhikkhus addressed
    the Venerable Dāsaka: “Friend Dāsaka, go and approach the Venerable Khemaka and inform
    him: ‘Friend Khemaka, the elder Bhikkhus like to inquire about your health as they pass on to
    you this message: ‘Friend, we hope that you are bearing up; we hope that you are getting better.
    We hope that your illness is becoming less severe, and your bodily pains and feelings of
    suffering are decreasing and not increasing; that their subsiding is what is evident, not their
    continued increase.’’”
    “Yes, Friends,” replied the Venerable Dāsaka in agreement, as he went to the Ven. Khemaka at
    the Jujubee Monastery, and having reached his hut, he approached the venerable Khemaka and
    relayed the message, by saying: ‘Friend Khemaka, the elder Bhikkhus like to inquire about your
    health as they pass on to you this message: ‘Friend, we hope that you are bearing up; we hope
    that you are getting better. We hope that your illness is becoming less severe, and your bodily
    pains and feelings of suffering are decreasing and not increasing; that their subsiding is what is
    evident, not their continued increase.’’”
    In replying to them, the Ven. Khemaka stated: “Friends, I am not bearing up well; I am not
    getting better. My illness is getting severe, and my bodily pains and feelings of suffering are
    increasing and not decreasing.”
    Then, having received his reply, the Venerable Dāsaka went back to the elder Bhikkhus and
    informed them: ‘Friends, the Venerable Khemaka sends you the following response: “Friends, I
    am not bearing up well; I am not getting better. My illness is getting severe, and my bodily pains
    and feelings of suffering are increasing and not decreasing.”

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    Then, those Bhikkhus asked the Ven. Dāsaka to go back to the Venerable Khemaka and tell him
    that the elder monks say this: “Friend, the Blessed One has taught us about the five aggregates of
    clinging that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of form, clinging to the aggregate of
    feelings, clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories, clinging to the aggregate of mental
    constructions, and clinging to the aggregate of consciousness/sense awareness.’ Therefore, the
    elder Bhikkhus ask the Ven. Khemaka as to which of these five does he reflect and look upon as
    his self, or the parts that make up or belong to his self?’”
    And the Venerable Dāsaka, having consented to go back, set off and reached the Venerable
    Khemaka’s hut, as he relayed the message given to him, by saying: “Friend, the Blessed One has
    taught us about the five aggregates of clinging that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of
    form, clinging to the aggregate of feelings, clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories,
    clinging to the aggregate of mental constructions, and clinging to the aggregate of
    consciousness/sense awareness.’ Therefore, the elder Bhikkhus ask the Ven. Khemaka as to
    which of these five does he reflect and look upon as his self, or the parts that make up or belong
    to his self?’”
    To this, the Ven. Khemaka replied by saying: “Friends, the Blessed One has indeed taught us
    about the five aggregates of clinging that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of form,
    clinging to the aggregate of feelings, clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories, clinging to
    the aggregate of mental constructions, and clinging to the aggregate of consciousness/sense
    awareness.’ However, I do not reflect nor look upon any of these as myself, nor see them as parts
    making up or belonging to a self in me.”
    And having received his reply, the Venerable Dāsaka went back to the elder Bhikkhus carrying
    the message: “Friends, the venerable Khemaka says: ‘the Blessed One has indeed taught us about
    the five aggregates of clinging that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of form, clinging
    to the aggregate of feelings, clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories, clinging to the
    aggregate of mental constructions, and clinging to the aggregate of consciousness/sense
    awareness.’ However, I do not reflect nor look upon any of these as myself, nor see them as parts
    making up or belonging to a self in me.’”
    Here, the elder Bhikkhus again asked the Ven. Dāsaka to go and tell the venerable Khemaka the
    following message: “Friend, the Blessed One has taught us about the five aggregates of clinging
    that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of form, clinging to the aggregate of feelings,
    clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories, clinging to the aggregate of mental constructions,
    and clinging to the aggregate of consciousness/sense awareness.’ With your response, that you
    ‘do not reflect nor look upon any of these as yourself, nor see them as parts making up or
    belonging to a self in you,’ then does that mean that the Ven. Khemaka has attained the Highest
    Goal of the Holy Life, having destroyed all the contaminants by attaining Arahantship?”
    And the Venerable Dāsaka eagerly went back to the venerable Khemaka as he conveyed the
    elder Bhikkhus' message by asking: “Friend, the Blessed One has taught us about the five
    aggregates of clinging that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of form, clinging to the
    aggregate of feelings, clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories, clinging to the aggregate of
    mental constructions, and clinging to the aggregate of consciousness/sense awareness.’ With

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    your response, that you ‘do not reflect nor look upon any of these as yourself, nor see them as
    parts making up or belonging to a self in you,’ then does that mean that the Ven. Khemaka has
    attained the Highest Goal of the Holy Life, having destroyed all the contaminants by attaining
    Arahantship?”
    At this, the Ven Khemaka replied, “The Blessed One has indeed taught us about the five
    aggregates of clinging that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of form, clinging to the
    aggregate of feelings, clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories, clinging to the aggregate of
    mental constructions, and clinging to the aggregate of consciousness/sense awareness.’ But I do
    not reflect nor look upon any of these as myself, nor see them as parts making up or belonging to
    a self in me. Yet, I am not an Arahant, one whose contaminants have been utterly destroyed. For,
    when speaking of the five aggregates, I am still not rid of the conceit “I am,” even though I don’t
    find within me anything or anyone to be called or experienced as an “I am.”
    Then, the venerable Dāsaka, having gone back to the elder Bhikkhus, reported to them the Ven.
    Khemaka’s response by saying: “‘The Blessed One has indeed taught us about the five
    aggregates of clinging that are comprised of: clinging to the aggregate of form, clinging to the
    aggregate of feelings, clinging to the aggregate of notions/memories, clinging to the aggregate of
    mental constructions, and clinging to the aggregate of consciousness/sense awareness.’ But, I do
    not reflect nor look upon any of these as myself, nor see them as parts making up or belonging to
    a self in me. Yet, I am not an Arahant, one whose contaminants have been utterly destroyed. For,
    when speaking of the five aggregates, I am still not rid of the conceit “I am,” even though I don’t
    find within me anything or anyone to be called or experienced as an “I am.”
    Again, the elder Bhikkhus asked the Ven. Dāsaka if he could go back to the Jujubee Forest, and
    carry this message as they further inquired from the Ven. Khemaka: “Friend Khemaka, the elder
    Bhikkhus ask, ‘If Friend Khemaka is not an Arahant, then what can the Venerable Khemaka be
    referring to when he uses the term “I am?” Is it in reference to form/matter, or to feelings, or to
    memories/notions, or to mental constructions, or to consciousness/sense awareness? Or is it
    something completely apart from them? What exactly is this “I am” that the Ven. Khemaka is
    referring to?”
    Having agreed to carry their message back, the Venerable Dàsaka yet again went to the
    Venerable Khemaka and told him: “Friend, the elder monks would like to ask you this further
    question: “Friend Khemaka, the elder Bhikkhus ask, ‘If Friend Khemaka is not an Arahant, then
    what can the Venerable Khemaka be referring to when he uses the term “I am?” Is it in reference
    to form/matter, or to feelings, or to memories/notions, or to mental constructions, or to
    consciousness/sense awareness? Or is it something completely apart from them? What exactly is
    this “I am” that the Ven. Khemaka is referring to?’”
    At that point, the Ven. Khemaka exclaimed to the Ven. Dāsaka: “Enough of this going back and
    forth, Friend Dāsaka! Please go and get me a walking stick, something I can lean onto, and I will
    go to the elder Bhikkhus and carry my reply to them.”
    Then, by leaning on a walking stick, the venerable Khemaka walked all the way to the elder
    Bhikkhus in Kosambi, and after exchanging friendly greetings with them, sat to one side.

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    Then the elder Bhikkhus turned to the Venerable Khemaka, now seated among them, and said:
    “Friend Khemaka, when you say this term “I am,” what exactly do you mean? Is it with regard to
    the form, feelings, notions/memories, mental constructions, or consciousness/sense awareness, or
    is it something entirely different or separate from these? What is this “I am” that you still refer
    to?”
    “Friends, I do not say that I am this form, nor do I say that I am entirely separate from this form;
    I do not say that I am feelings, nor do I say that am entirely separate from feelings; I do not say
    that I am notions/memories, nor do I say that I am entirely separate from notions/memories; I do
    not say that I am mental construction, nor do I say that I am entirely separate from mental
    constructions; I do not say that I am consciousness/sense awareness, nor do I say that I am
    entirely separate from consciousness/sense awareness. In other words, although I use the term “I
    am” in reference to the five aggregates that hold things together, that does not mean, however,
    that I recognize them as “I am this,” for I am still not rid of the conceit “I am.”
    “Friends, it is very much like the fragrance of a blue, a white, or a red lotus.
    “If someone were to tell you that the fragrance of a blue, a white, or a red lotus was in its petals,
    or in its color, or in its stem, would you consider that to be accurate?”
    “No, Friend, that would not be accurate,” replied the elder Bhikkhus.
    “What then, Friends, would be an accurate way to describe as to where the fragrance of the lotus
    is emanating from?”
    “Friend, it would be accurate to say that the fragrance of the lotus comes from the flower itself,”
    replied the elder Bhikkhus.
    “Exactly Friends! In the same manner, I do not say that ‘I am this form, nor do I say that I am
    entirely separate from this form; I do not say that I am feelings, nor do I say that am entirely
    separate from feelings; I do not say that I am notions/memories, nor do I say that I am entirely
    separate from notions/memories; I do not say that I am mental constructions, nor do I say that I
    am entirely separate from mental constructions; I do not say that I am consciousness/sense
    awareness, nor do I say that I am entirely separate from consciousness/sense awareness. In other
    words, although I use the term “I am” in reference to the five aggregates holding things together,
    that does not mean, however, that I recognize them as “I am this,” for I am still not rid of the
    conceit “I am.”
    “Friends, although a Noble Disciple may have abandoned the five lower fetters that bind a
    person to the sensual world, there still remains some residue in the form of the conceit “I am,”
    the desire that is “I am,” and the latent tendency of “I am” that lingers, as a result of not having
    been uprooted yet. Sometime later, however, as he continues to observe the arising and vanishing
    of the five aggregates of clinging, he begins to see more and more clearly: “this is the arising of
    form/matter, this is the vanishing of form/matter; this is the arising of feelings, this is the
    vanishing of feelings; this is the arising of notions/memories, this is the vanishing of
    notions/memories; this is the arising of mental constructions, this is the vanishing of mental

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    constructions; this is the arising of consciousness/sense awareness, this is the vanishing of
    consciousness/sense awareness. And as he continues attending to the rise and fall of these five
    aggregates of clinging thus, the conceit “I am,” the desire that is “I am,” and the latent tendency
    of “I am,” all become uprooted.
    “Friends, it is very much like the stained, dirty piece of cloth that is given to the washer to clean,
    who then would brush it with salt, lime, or cow dung and rinse it thoroughly in pure water.
    But, as the washer returns the cloth to its owner clean and pure, the cloth would now still have
    with it the lingering smells of salt, lime, or cow dung, as these would not be removed from it.
    But when the owner puts it in a perfumed box, then the smells of salt, lime, or cow dung that
    were there earlier, would now be completely removed.
    In the same way, Friends, although a Noble Disciple may have abandoned the five lower fetters
    that bind a person to the sensual world, there still remains some residue in the form of the conceit
    “I am,” the desire that is “I am,” and the latent tendency of “I am” that lingers, as a result of not
    having been uprooted yet. Sometime later, however, as he continues to observe the arising and
    vanishing of the five aggregates of clinging, he begins to see more and more clearly: “this is the
    arising of form/matter, this is the vanishing of form/matter; this is the arising of feelings, this is
    the vanishing of feelings; this is the arising of notions/memories, this is the vanishing of
    notions/memories; this is the arising of mental constructions, this is the vanishing of mental
    constructions; this is the arising of consciousness/sense awareness, this is the vanishing of
    consciousness/sense awareness. And as he continues attending to the rise and fall of these five
    aggregates of clinging thus, the conceit “I am,” the desire that is “I am,” and the latent tendency
    of “I am,” all become uprooted.”
    When this was said, the elder Bhikkhus said to the Venerable Khemaka: “In asking our questions
    thus, surely we had no intentions of troubling the Ven. Khemaka. Our hope was that, in
    answering these questions, Ven. Khemaka would teach us, clarify and elaborate for us, revealing,
    elucidating, and establishing us in the Dhamma, by making us understand and see the
    Dispensation of the Blessed One in detail.
    And truly, the Venerable Khemaka has taught us, clarified and elaborated for us, having
    revealed, elucidated, as well as established us in the Dhamma, by making us understand and see
    the Dispensation of the Blessed One in detail.
    This is how the Venerable Khemaka responded to the elder Bhikkhus’ questions, and the elder
    Bhikkhus were all delighted in the words of the Venerable Khemaka.
    And while this exposition was taking place, the minds of about sixty elder Bhikkhus were utterly
    liberated from the contaminants, together, with the mind of the Venerable Khemaka.

    Sadhu
    Sadhu
    Sadhu

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