Date: 03/08/2025 03/09/2025
Location: Star Ocean Meditation Center
Teacher: Otto Huang
Dharma Talk
The Enlightenment of Bhikkhu Chāma Amid Illness
Once, many bhikkhus were residing southeast of Kuśinagara in a forest grove donated by the elder Ghoṣila, a wealthy householder.
Another bhikkhu, named Chāma, was also in Kuśinagara but lived separately in the Bhadali Grove. At that time, Bhikkhu Chāma had fallen seriously ill and was suffering greatly.
When the elder bhikkhus residing in Ghoṣila’s Grove heard of Chāma Bhikkhu’s severe illness, they sent Bhikkhu Tosa, who was on duty as a caretaker, to visit him.
Upon arriving at Chāma Bhikkhu’s dwelling, Bhikkhu Tosa conveyed the concern and well-wishes of the elder bhikkhus from Ghoṣila’s Grove, saying:
“Friend Chāma! The elder bhikkhus from Ghoṣila’s Grove are very concerned about you. They asked whether your condition has improved and whether you can still endure it.”
“Friend! My illness has not improved at all. It has only worsened, becoming more intense and painful, as if there is no hope for recovery.”
Having understood Chāma Bhikkhu’s condition, Bhikkhu Tosa hurried back to Ghoṣila’s Grove and reported to the elder bhikkhus.
The elders then instructed Bhikkhu Tosa to return to Bhadali Grove and remind Chāma Bhikkhu to contemplate in accordance with the Buddha’s teaching: to observe within the five aggregates—form (rūpa), feeling (vedanā), perception (saññā), mental formations (saṅkhāra), and consciousness (viññāṇa)—and realize that there is no unchanging self nor anything that belongs to an unchanging self.
Bhikkhu Tosa went again to Chāma Bhikkhu’s dwelling and conveyed the elders’ reminder.
After hearing this, Chāma Bhikkhu replied that he had indeed examined the five aggregates in the way the Buddha had taught and found no trace of an unchanging self nor anything belonging to an unchanging self.
Bhikkhu Tosa returned once more to Ghoṣila’s Grove and relayed Chāma Bhikkhu’s response.
When the elder bhikkhus heard that Chāma Bhikkhu could contemplate the five aggregates as “not-self” and “not belonging to self,” they believed this to be the realization of an Arahant’s liberation. So, they sent Bhikkhu Tosa again to ask Chāma Bhikkhu whether he had attained Arahantship.
Bhikkhu Tosa made a third visit to Chāma Bhikkhu’s dwelling and conveyed the elders’ inquiry.
Chāma Bhikkhu replied that he was not yet an Arahant.
Bhikkhu Tosa brought this response back to Ghoṣila’s Grove.
The elder bhikkhus found Chāma Bhikkhu’s third answer to be contradictory to his second. Therefore, they sent Bhikkhu Tosa on a fourth trip to Bhadali Grove to clarify this apparent inconsistency.
Chāma Bhikkhu explained, “Although I observe the five aggregates as ‘not-self’ and ‘not belonging to self,’ I still experience a sense of self.”
Once again, the diligent Bhikkhu Tosa carried this message back to Ghoṣila’s Grove.
It became clear that Chāma Bhikkhu’s contemplation of ‘not-self’ was still based on intellectual acceptance of the Buddha’s teachings rather than direct personal realization. Understanding this, the elder bhikkhus reiterated the Buddha’s frequent teaching on ‘not-self’ and sent Bhikkhu Tosa once again with the following questions:
“Friend Chāma! On what basis do you say there is a self? Do you claim that form is self? Is there a self apart from form? Do you say that feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness is self? Or is there a self apart from feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness?”
After making Bhikkhu Tosa run back and forth so many times, Chāma Bhikkhu felt deeply apologetic. He picked up his staff and asked Bhikkhu Tosa to help him walk to Ghoṣila’s Grove so that he could discuss directly with the elder bhikkhus.
Upon arriving at Ghoṣila’s Grove, Chāma Bhikkhu addressed the elders:
“Friends! I do not claim that form is self. I do not claim that feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness is self. Nor do I claim that there is a self apart from form, feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness. However, I still perceive a self within the entirety of the five aggregates, though I do not claim ownership over these five aggregates.
Friends! Suppose there is a fragrant flower. Would it be correct to say that the fragrance comes from the flower’s root? Or that the fragrance exists separately from the root? Or that the fragrance comes from the stem, leaves, petals, or stamen? Or that the fragrance exists apart from the stem, leaves, petals, or stamen?”
The elders replied, “None of these statements are correct.”
“Then how should it be stated correctly?”
“It should be said that the fragrance exists because the entire flower exists.”
“Friends! In the same way, I do not claim that form is self, nor that there is a self apart from form. I do not claim that feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness is self, nor that there is a self apart from them. However, I still perceive a self within the entirety of the five aggregates. This is because I have not yet fully discerned, severed, or abandoned the deep-seated tendencies of self-conceit, self-desire, and self-clinging.
Friends! This is like washing clothes. Even when dirty clothes have been cleaned with detergent, the smell of the detergent still lingers. Therefore, one must use fragrance to remove the unwanted detergent smell.
Similarly, a person who frequently hears and studies the noble teachings can observe the five aggregates as ‘not-self’ and ‘not belonging to self.’ However, if they have not yet fully discerned, severed, and abandoned self-conceit, self-desire, and self-clinging regarding the five aggregates, they must continue striving in their practice. They should clearly perceive the arising and ceasing of the five aggregates and recognize them as they truly are: ‘This is form, this is the cause of form’s arising, and this is the cessation of form.’ The same applies to feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. By practicing in this way, one will eventually discern, sever, and abandon self-conceit, self-desire, and self-clinging completely.”
Upon hearing Chāma Bhikkhu’s explanation, the elder bhikkhus present became free from defilements, attaining the purity of the Dhamma-eye. They praised Chāma Bhikkhu’s teaching, as it deepened their understanding of the Buddha’s words. Chāma Bhikkhu himself, having overcome his own blind spot, attained liberation.
