Channa¹

A Wanderer, classed among those who wore clothes. He is only mentioned once, in the Aṅguttara Nikāya, AN.iii.215 where we are told that he visited Ānanda at Sāvatthī and asked him questions about the Buddha’s teaching.

Channa²

A monk. He once stayed at Gijjhakūṭa, dangerously ill and suffering much pain. He was visited by Sāriputta and Mahā Cunda, and when they discovered that he contemplated suicide, they tried to deter him, promising to provide him with all necessaries and to wait on him themselves. Finding him quite determined, Sāriputta discussed with him the Buddha’s teachings and then left him. Soon afterwards Channa committed suicide by cutting his throat. When this was reported to the Buddha, he explained that no blame was attached to Channa, for he was an arahant at the moment of death. MN.iii.263ff. SN.iv.55ff.

Channa³

A monk of the Sakiyan clan whose Theragāthā verse speaks of how he became a monk after being inspired by the teaching of the Buddha.

Once, when in the Ghositārāma in Kosambī, Channa committed a fault but was not willing to acknowledge it. When the matter was reported to the Buddha, he decreed that the ukkhepaniya-kamma be carried out against him, forbidding him to eat or dwell with the Saṅgha. He therefore changed his residence, but was everywhere “boycotted,” and returned to Kosambī subdued and asking for reprieve, which was granted to him. Vin.ii.23ff. His obstinacy and perverseness are again mentioned elsewhere. Vin.iv.35 Vin.iv.113 Vin.iv.141 A patron of his once erected a vihāra for him, but he so thatched and decked it that it fell down. In trying to repair it he damaged a brahmin’s barley field. Vin.iii.47 Vin.iii.155f. Vin.iii.177

Later the Buddha decreed on him the carrying out of the Brahmadaṇḍa whereby all monks were forbidden to have anything whatsoever to do with him. This was the last disciplinary act of the Buddha, and the carrying out thereof was entrusted to Ānanda. DN.ii.154 When Ānanda visited Channa at the Ghositārāma and pronounced on him the penalty, even his proud and independent spirit was tamed; he became humble, his eyes were opened, and dwelling apart, earnest and zealous, he became one of the arahants, upon which the penalty automatically lapsed. Vin.ii.292