Chappanaka Sutta was selected for the Dhamma talks during the seven day residential retreat conducted at Jhana Grove, Perth by Most Ven. U. Dhammajiva Maha Thero during January 2018. The retreat was conducted in English medium.

Chappanaka Sutta is from Salayatana Sunyuktha of Sunyuktha Nikaya of Tripitaka. 
Chappanaka Sutta beautifully illustrates the struggle of the six senses with an eloquent simile. This simile illustrates the plight of six animals having different habits and diverse fields of action are tied together in one knot by a strong rope. The six animals are a crocodile who tries to run to the water, a bird who tries to fly in the air, a dog who tries to run to a village, a fox who tries to flee to a cemetery, a monkey who tries to go to the forest, and a snake who tries to creep into an anthill. These six animals are constantly struggling to reach their respective habitats. Similarly, the six senses are constantly seeking gratification in their own spheres, and the human who has no control over sense faculties becomes terribly confused.

The Pali word for sense faculty is Indriya. It is a very interesting word which reveals much about our human situation. Indra means lord or king, and the sense faculties are called indriyas because they dominate us so much. They act as our lords or masters and we slavishly obey them. The eye wishes to see pleasant forms, the ear wishes to hear pleasant sounds, the nose to smell pleasant smells, the tongue to enjoy pleasant tastes, and the body to feel pleasant tactile objects. The mental faculty which unifies all other sense faculties, gets terribly disturbed as it is dragged in different directions by the different sense stimuli, while it need to deal with its own share of agitations in the form of hopes, memories, and imaginations.

Please click here to reach the text of the Chappanaka Sutta from accesstoinsight.org

To listen directly: Please left click on the link to listen directly. Once the link is clicked, you will be directed to a separate page containing the talk. Usually the file starts to play in that window. If it doesn’t you could highlight the browser window and click ‘reload this page’. It will start to play.

To download: You could download the file by right clicking on the link and then selecting “save as” from the drop down menu.

1. 01. Dhamma Talk 01_Perth_Chappanaka Sutta_01-01-2018
2. 02. Q&A 01_Perth_Chappanaka Sutta_01-01-2018
3. 03. Dhamma Talk 02_Perth_Chappanaka Sutta_02-01-2018
4. 04. Q&A 02_Perth_Chappanaka Sutta_02-01-2018
5. 05. Dhamma Talk 03_Perth_Chappanaka Sutta_03-01-2018
6. 06. Q&A 03_Perth_Chappanaka Sutta_03-01-2018
7. 07. Dhamma Talk 04_Perth_Chappanaka Sutta_04-01-2018
8. 08. Q&A 04_Perth_Chappanaka Sutta_04-01-2018
9. 09. Dhamma Talk 05_Perth_Chappanaka Sutta_05-01-2018
10. 10. Q&A 05_Perth_Chappanaka Sutta_05-01-2018
11. 11. Dhamma Talk 06_Perth_Chappanaka Sutta_06-01-2018
12. 12. Q&A 06_Perth_Chappanaka Sutta_06-01-2018
13. 13. Q&A 7 and Conclusion_Perth_Chappanaka Sutta_07-01-2018

Chappanaka Sutta at Perth completed.