Caṅkī Sutta and the open minded Brāhmaṇas and Ṛṣis

[Satyan Sharma]

Namaskara

I recently came across the Canki Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, where Buddha, in order to counter a young Brahmana, asks him if any Brahmana of his time or even the previous ones (including the Rsis) ever asserted that only what they knew was true and all else was false (इदमेव सच्चं मोघञ्ञं ति). Buddha even mentions the ancient Rsis by their names to counter with the same question. The Brahmana and Buddha both agree that the Brahmanas of their time, and even the ancient ones including Rsis never asserted that 'only what they knew was true and all else was false'.

Buddha then equates those Brahmanas and Rsis with blind men leading other blind men (सेय्यथापि भारद्वाज अन्धवेणि परम्परासंसत्ता पुरिमोपि न पस्सति मज्झिमोपि न पस्सति पच्छिमोपि न पस्सति). 

Firstly, those who do not claim that 'only what they know is true' cannot be called blind, but aware and honest. Secondly, although Buddha takes up this discussion to show them as blind people, he instead proves the opposite. From the ancient Rsis to the Brahmanas of his day, none of them asserted the said claim. 

It also is to be noted that such a discussion happened in the presence of Brahmanas, who after listening to such a discussion of Buddha and being called blind, appreciated Buddha.

Regards

[K S Kannan]

The analogy of the blind leading the blind occurs in the Bible,

and, much before, in Kathopanishad.

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Dr. K.S.Kannan  D.Litt.

​Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj Chair Professor, IIT-Madras.

Senior Fellow, ICSSR, New Delhi.

Academic Director, Swadeshi Indology.

Member, Academic Council, Veda Vijnana Shodha Samsthana.

Nominated Member, IIAS, Shimla.

Former Professor, CAHC, Jain University, Bangalore.

Former Director, Karnataka Samskrit University, Bangalore.

Former Head, Dept. of Sanskrit, The National Colleges, Bangalore.

[Satyan Sharma]

Yes Kannan ji

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Satyan Sharma

Research Scholar

Department of Sanskrit

Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.

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[Krishna Kashyap]

Namaskara

Incidentally, I found these links on canki sutta.

It is very interesting and deep. so typical of Buddhist sutta literature.

summary of canki sutta

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/americanbuddhist/2008/11/canki-sutta-the-buddhist-way-of-knowing.html  

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN95.html 

Best Regards,

Krishna Kashyap

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[Satyan Sharma]

Thank you Kashyap Ji

Regards

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[विश्वासो वासुकेयः]

https://vvasuki.github.io/tipiTaka/01_mUlam/02_suttapiTaka/02_majjhimanikAyo/02_majjimapaNNAsapALi/05_brAhmaNavaggo/05_5_chankIsuttam/ इत्यत्र मूलं सुलभम्।

तत्र स्वाभिप्रायाः-

अत्र भृग्वादीन् ऋषीन् निर्दिशतीति रुचिरम्।
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